Gustine, CA (March 2, 2026) — A literacy nonprofit that began as a high school project with an old ice cream cart is now helping connect local families with one of the most recognized childhood reading programs in the world.
The Gustine Traveling Library has partnered with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, expanding access to free books for young children in the region.
Through the program, children from birth to age five can receive a free, age-appropriate book mailed directly to their home each month. The initiative, founded by Dolly Parton through The Dollywood Foundation, is designed to encourage early literacy and foster a love of reading before children enter school.
The partnership locally was made possible through collaboration with First 5 Merced County, which provides grant support and works with community organizations to promote enrollment.
For Traveling Library founder Zachery Ramos, the partnership represents a milestone in the organization’s growth.
“Our partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library came through collaboration with First 5 Merced County,” Ramos said. “After receiving grant support, we were able to help promote enrollment and expand early literacy access locally. Growing up listening to Dolly Parton and seeing the power of books firsthand in my own family, it feels incredibly meaningful to now help connect local families to that same gift of monthly books in the mail.”
From High School Project to Regional Literacy Organization
The Gustine Traveling Library was founded in 2017 when Ramos, then a high school senior, set out to address what he described as a simple but urgent problem — access to books in rural communities.
“In rural communities like Gustine, many families do not have easy access to bookstores, large libraries, or the extra funds to regularly purchase books,” Ramos said. “I saw classmates and younger students who had potential but lacked resources. I wanted to remove barriers by bringing books directly to children, free of charge.”
What began as an old ice cream cart filled with donated books quickly grew into a community initiative. Today, the organization operates from a permanent headquarters in Gustine that opened in 2021.
Since its founding, the Traveling Library reports distributing more than 300,000 free books to children, teens, adults and seniors across the Central Valley and Bay Area. The headquarters facility has welcomed more than 6,000 children through its doors.
The nonprofit has also expanded its services beyond book distribution, providing more than 2,800 hours of free tutoring for students.
Expanding Community Support
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization broadened its efforts to meet community needs. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and local farmers, the Traveling Library helped distribute more than $1 million in food and fresh produce to families.
Funding for the organization comes through a mix of small grants, partnerships, community donations and personal contributions from Ramos.
“We partner with organizations like First Book, local businesses and county agencies to stretch every dollar and maximize impact,” Ramos said.
Building a Culture of Literacy
Ramos said the response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive, with families and volunteers continuing to support the organization’s mission.
“What makes rural communities special is that people show up for each other,” he said. “Families volunteer. Local businesses donate. Students return years later to give back. We’ve seen parents who once received books as children now bringing in their own babies to sign up.”
He said programs that promote reading at a young age can have long-term impacts on education and opportunity.
“In a small rural town, literacy is opportunity,” Ramos said. “When children develop a love for reading early, it changes their trajectory.”
While local enrollment numbers for the Imagination Library program are tracked through First 5 Merced County, Ramos said awareness of the program continues to grow as more families learn about the opportunity to receive free books each month.
For Ramos, the milestone partnership reflects how far the organization has come since its early days.
What started as a student project has evolved into a community hub focused on literacy, tutoring and family support — with the goal of ensuring that every child has access to books.
Social Media & Donation Information:
Facebook: Gustine Traveling Library
Instagram: @zacheryramos4gustine
Donations: Donations can be mailed to 417 5th Street Gustine CA 95322 or Venmo @Traveling-Library
Website: https://gustinetravelinglibrary.my.canva.site/
