Dolly Parton Donates Hundreds of Millions of Books to Children
Country music icon Dolly Parton has donated hundreds of millions of books to children across the United States and other countries, earning her the affectionate nickname “The Book Lady” among kids.
On August 27, Dolly Parton celebrated the expansion of her Imagination Library project in Missouri and Kentucky, honoring the contributions of these regions. The event in Kentucky was attended by Governor Andy Beshear and his wife, Britainy Beshear. During the ceremony, Parton reflected on her late father, Robert Lee Parton, who passed away in 2000, and his difficult childhood, which prevented him from attending school. Parton described her father as the smartest person she ever knew, despite his struggle with illiteracy, which often made him feel ashamed. Inspired by her father’s experience, Parton established Imagination Library in 1995 with the mission to improve children’s literacy. The program provides a free book every month to children under the age of five, regardless of their family’s financial situation.
Initially, the project was launched in Tennessee, Parton’s home state, but it has since expanded nationwide and internationally to countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Ireland. Approximately 250 million books have been distributed since the project’s inception in 1995.
Imagination Library is funded by Parton and various local and international partners. As reported by the Associated Press, Missouri is the only state that fully funds the program, allocating a total of $11 million in the most recent fiscal year. In most other states, the costs are covered through a shared funding model between local communities and the program.
At the ceremony, Parton expressed her happiness that her father lived long enough to see the program take off. “He was prouder of this than anything else I’ve ever done, more than my being famous,” Parton said. “He felt that in some small way, he had done something great.” She also expressed her hope to see Imagination Library reach every corner of the United States. Although the project operates in all 50 states, only 21 states ensure that every child under five is eligible to register.
Governor Andy Beshear noted that the program reaches children in all 120 counties across Kentucky, with over 120,000 children—nearly half of the state’s kindergarteners—already registered to receive books. Britainy Beshear highlighted how the program encourages families to read together and allows children to build their personal libraries at no cost before they enter kindergarten.
“This is truly an amazing way to teach children to love books and learn to read at an early age,” Beshear remarked.
Dolly Parton, now 78 years old, is a celebrated American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is one of the most successful country music artists, with 26 singles reaching number one and 42 albums making the top 10 on Billboard’s country music charts. Over nearly 70 years in the music industry, she has sold over 100 million records, placing her among the best-selling artists in the world.
Parton is also the original writer and performer of the classic song “I Will Always Love You,” later famously covered by Whitney Houston in the 1992 film The Bodyguard. In addition to her musical achievements, Parton has published a children’s book titled Coat of Many Colors (1996). Her name was also given to Dolly the sheep, the first mammal cloned from an adult cell.
