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CHATTANOOGA, TENN. (mocsnews.com) — The Imagination Library: Dolly Parton’s Lasting Legacy
By Eli Dibrell
MOCS News
For nearly three decades, country music icon Dolly Parton has used her platform to create lasting change. Beyond her music career, Parton has dedicated herself to making a difference, particularly through education and literacy.
Inspired by her father, Robert Lee Parton, who was unable to read, Dolly launched the Imagination Library in 1995. This program provides free books to children under the age of five, aiming to foster a love for reading from an early age. Since its inception, the Imagination Library has mailed more than 240 million books to children in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, and Australia.
“My father was one of the smartest people I’ve ever known, but he was embarrassed that he couldn’t read,” Parton shared. Her father’s struggle with literacy motivated her to start the program, initially serving one county in her home state of Tennessee. Over the years, it has expanded to multiple states, including Kentucky and Missouri, as well as internationally.
Today, nearly half of Kentucky’s preschool-aged children are enrolled in the program, and Missouri has allocated approximately $11 million to support its growth. “This is my way of honoring my dad,” Parton said. She hopes to see the program reach children across every state, providing opportunities for young readers that her father never had.
