The recent death of Dolly Parton united our country in grief; Dolly was beloved by all and attracted fans who came to know her through her musical talent, her film career, Dollywood Parks & Resorts, and her generous spirit. Dolly’s love for humanity was demonstrated in tangible ways, including financial support for research that contributed to the development of the COVID vaccine and the creation of the Imagination Library, an early literacy program that has impacted children in five countries so far.
Raised by a father who was unable to read, Dolly Parton created the Imagination Library as a tribute to him. “He was the smartest man I have ever known but I know in my heart his inability to read probably kept him from fulfilling all of his dreams.”
Launched in 1995, the Imagination Library is a program that fosters a love of reading by sending a book a month to a child for the first five years of their life. The program has distributed 304,539,509 books since its inception, with a book being shipped every 0.78 seconds. Initially available only in Dolly’s home county of Sevier County, Tennessee with books for 1,760 children, now the program is available in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, and the Republic of Ireland.
In 2005, an International Book Committee was formed to select books to be distributed by the Imagination Library; titles are limited to those published by Penguin Group USA. In 2011 and 2012, audio and Braille books were introduced into the program to expand the audience to include children who would benefit from these formats. Bilingual Spanish titles and other culturally relevant titles were added in 2015 to increase inclusivity in the program.
To say that the Imagination Library has been a success is an understatement; the program has been recognized by The Library of Congress, winning the Best Practices Award in 2014 and as of 2024, 14% of children under the age of five in the United States receive a book each month from the Imagination Library.
Unfortunately, the Imagination Library is not available in Massachusetts. Two similar programs that are available to Massachusetts residents are Reach Out & Read and PJ Library.
Reach Out & Read is a program connected to pediatricians with 6,800 program sites across the country. The program targets children from birth to age five with free books and literacy tips given to children and their caregivers at routine well-child visits with their pediatricians. I found over 50 sites within ten miles of my home in Boston. 4.8 million children across the U.S. participate in Reach Out & Read.
PJ Library is another book giveaway program that sends free high-quality Jewish children’s books for children from birth to age twelve. Created by the nonprofit Harold Grinspoon Foundation, PJ Library’s mission is to “help people connect to Jewish values, traditions, and culture while building vibrant Jewish communities.”
PJ Library programs are available in 40 countries and are open to households where at least one member identifies as Jewish. For those who aren’t eligible for the free book program, PJ Library offers a large collection of free online resources.
The shock of Dolly Parton’s death impacted so many of us who admired her talent and loving nature, but it has also given us a moment to pause and highlight all that she accomplished in her life and the impact that her warm and open heart has had on people all over the world.
Learn more about Dolly Parton by exploring the below staff list by Reader Services Librarian Jordan Draves.
1946-2026. Dolly Parton was known as a beloved singer, songwriter, philanthropist, actress, playwright, and author. It's hard to imagine a world without her. Borrow one of these books or DVDs and remember her amazing creative life. "I try to see the good in everybody, and I don't care who people are as long as they're themselves, whatever that is." — Dolly Parton
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