Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Marks 200 Million Books Distributed to Young Readers
Program has expanded from a single Tennessee county to reach children in much of the Anglophone world
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is celebrating a monumental milestone in its program of giving high-quality, free books to young children, with 200 million total books cumulatively distributed to children globally since the program’s inception.
Parton’s inspirational program began in 1995 by serving children in Sevier County, Tennessee, with national expansion underway by 2000, Canada launching in 2006, the United Kingdom in 2007, Australia in 2013, and the Republic of Ireland in 2019. The program mails more than 2.4 million books each month to its emerging-reader membership.
Reflecting on the Imagination Library’s inspiration and personal meaning in her public letter on the organization’s website, Parton notes:
“Before he passed away, my Daddy told me the Imagination Library was probably the most important thing I had ever done. I can’t tell you how much that meant to me because I created the Imagination Library as a tribute to my Daddy. 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.”
Tennessee residents who would like to show their support for the Imagination Library and raise awareness of its work can register for a specialty license plate.
