The Library of Congress has paid tribute to country music legend Dolly Parton's enduring commitment to childhood literacy through her Imagination Library program. The tribute, shared on social media, highlighted the program's significant impact on improving reading skills among young children.
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, founded in 1995, aims to foster a love of reading in children from birth to age five by providing them with a free book each month. The program was initiated in Sevier County, Tennessee, in honor of Parton's late father, who was unable to read or write. Parton has stated that her father's inability to read and write was the inspiration behind the initiative, as she often wondered what he could have achieved with literacy.
Over its 31-year history, the Imagination Library has become one of the world's largest childhood reading initiatives, donating more than 300 million books. According to the foundation's information, approximately 14% of children in the U.S. under the age of five receive a book by mail through the program. The Library of Congress itself has recognized the program's success, awarding it multiple Library Literacy Awards. In 2018, Parton visited the Library of Congress to donate the program's 100 millionth book and host a story time event.