Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Program Honored by Library of Congress: ‘Titan of Children’s Literacy’
The icon and literacy advocate died at the age of 80.
The Library of Congress paid tribute to Dolly Parton, the renowned country music icon and a renowned champion of children's literacy, on the day after her passing. The institution expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the music legend, describing Parton as a "titan of children’s literacy." Their honor stemmed from the fact that Parton's Imagination Library program has earned multiple Library Literacy Awards and, in 2018, she personally donated the program's 100 millionth book to the Library's collection.
The program, initiated in 1995, initially focused on distributing free books to children up to the age of 5 in Parton's native Sevier County, Tennessee, regardless of their family's income. Over the years, the program's reach expanded to service households across the United States, and later, it extended to Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia.
By 2022, the Imagination Library was mailing two million books globally every month. Parton, a 10-time Grammy winner, founded the Imagination Library in memory of her father, who never learned to read or write. In her 2020 cover story for Billboard, Parton reflected on her father's intelligence and resourcefulness, noting that despite not having formal education, he was "really smart in making deals and bargaining and how he raised a family like he did."
Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, who served as her head of security for 20 years, delivered the announcement of Parton's death in a video message posted to the singer's Instagram. Seaver expressed that "sadness lies with us, not with Dolly," emphasizing that Parton had lived in the light by her example, believing that anything was possible.
The singer never saw a door she couldn't open, and the doors she opened made and changed history. Parton's cause of death was later revealed to be cancer. Following her passing, numerous musicians, including Paul McCartney, Elton John, Taylor Swift, and Beyoncé, among others, shared statements and social media posts paying tribute to Parton.
President Donald Trump also recognized Parton's contribution to society, ordering that American flags be flown at half-staff in her honor.
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