A Tribute to Dolly Parton and the Imagination Library

Dolly Parton stands as a monumental figure in the world of music, yet her legacy as a visionary philanthropist is perhaps her most profound contribution. Inspired by her father’s struggle with illiteracy, Dolly became steadfast in her mission to cultivate a lifelong passion for reading in children. This dedication led to the creation of the Imagination Library, a brilliant initiative designed to place books directly into the hands of young learners.

The program’s success lies in its simple yet insightful approach –: high-quality books are mailed individually to enrolled children, turning the simple act of receiving mail into a celebrated moment of discovery. While Dolly Parton established and funds the robust administrative framework required to manage millions of enrollees—including three million in the United States alone—the vitality of the program depends on local partners like us. She had the vision for the Imagination Library and part of that vision was that we could all be a part of making it happen.  .

In Montgomery County, this partnership has fostered a powerful sense of local ownership. The book costs are covered by civic organizations,  businesses, fundraiser festivals, and local governments along with  hundreds of generous individuals. This collective investment has enabled us to send over 55,000 books and enroll 63% of the children in our county, bringing them the excitement of books and reading.. Parents tell us over and over how much they and their children love the books.  Success depends on the energy and commitment of so many volunteers and Dolly understood that providing a way to give back to the community was important.  

Every volunteer, donor, and advocate for the Imagination Library plays a vital role in sustaining this noble cause. By contributing to her vision, we collectively empower the next generation to “dream more, learn  more, care more, and do more.” We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who helps keep Dolly Parton’s inspiring dream alive.

About Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

Since launching in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become the preeminent early childhood book-gifting program in the world. The flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has gifted well over 182 million free books in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and The Republic of Ireland. The Imagination Library mails more than 2 million high-quality, age-appropriate books each month to enrolled children from birth to age five. Dolly envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading, inspiring children to dream more, learn more, care more and be more. The impact of the program has been widely researched and results suggest positive increases in key early childhood literacy metrics. Penguin Random House is the exclusive publisher for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. For more information, please visit imaginationlibrary.com.