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Dolly Parton leaves a legacy of literacy with her Imagination Library program for children
Posted
August 27, 2026
Views
16,997
Likes
2,031
Comments
28
Engagement
12.11%
August 27, 2026
16,997
2,031
28
12.11%
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1:10Now PlayingDolly Parton is being remembered as a larger-than-life talent who united fans all over the globe after the singer-songwriter died Tuesday in Nashville. Parton's Appalachian roots influenced what many might describe as one of her most enduring legacies yet: a literacy program for young children.
Parton celebrated the Imagination Library sending out 100 million books at a 2018 event at the Library of Congress, a number that's since risen to 330 million. Parton said the program was inspired by her father, who couldn’t read or write, and it started small, in 1995, covering her home county in East Tennessee. Since then, it's collaborated with local nonprofits and governments to expand access across the country, and beyond, to Canada, the U.K., Ireland and Australia.
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And tap the link in our bio to read more about Parton's life.
Host: Ryland Barton/NPR
Reporter: Andrew Limbong/NPR
Producer: Michael Zamora/NPR
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