THE death of Dolly Parton on August 25 saw a huge outpouring of sadness around the world.

The legacy she leaves behind is really something to behold. Yes, of course, there are her music and films, but her philanthropy is outstanding.

She is remembered not for her mission into space, like some billionaires, but for work funding medical research and improving child literacy to name just two projects.

Parton’s Imagination Library has given away 332 million books worldwide. Renfrewshire Council in the West of Scotland has been participating in the scheme since 2021, with 230,000 books gifted and over 100 Imagination Library ambassadors.

The council is the first in Scotland to offer universal Imagination Libraries, which parents can sign up for if their child lives in the area or attends a Renfrewshire nursery.

On September 25, it will be Dolly Parton Day, approved by the Dollywood Foundation and passed at a recent council meeting. Why is this important? To encourage young readers and build a lifelong love of reading not just for education but pleasure.

When household incomes are tight, the opportunity for young children to get a free book through the post each month is welcome.                                          

Our libraries, which are part of local government services, have seen many changes over the past 20 years.

The service is statutory but the definition of having to provide “adequate library facilities” is open to interpretation.

Unison’s local government committee has recently started a library campaign group for our members who work in the service and those who value the importance of libraries.

There are very few places to go now where you don’t have to pay to enter. You can go in, sit, and enjoy the books in a warm and pleasant environment with staff there to help.

For people who do not have internet access or printing facilities at home, libraries offer that too. They are a community hub which needs to be properly resourced and celebrated.

Indeed, many authors now when plugging their books, will say “available to buy or at your local library.”

Foyle’s Scottish book of the month is the excellent historical fiction The Two Roberts authored by Damian Barr, who frequently pushes libraries in the US.

The 2025 documentary The Librarians highlights the surge in book banning — the Krause List in Texas, for example, has 850 books (mostly on race and LGBT+ education) to be banned from libraries.

The fightback against this has been swift. This emphasises the local belief in the importance of a freedom to read. We have seen, although on a smaller scale, Reform-led councils in England attempting something similar.

The joy of a physical book cannot be overstated, whether you borrow from a library, purchase, or if you are a child in Renfrewshire and have one posted to you with big thanks to Dolly.

Education and imagination go hand in hand, so let’s keep our libraries well-funded and as Labour MP Tom Hayes said at a Unison event at Westminster, “Our libraries are the NHS for the soul — free at the point of use, there when we need them most.”

Brenda Aitchison is a member of Unison’s local government committee.