Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Program Honored by Library of Congress: ‘Titan of Children’s Literacy’

One of Dolly Parton ‘s greatest passions was instilling a love of reading and storytelling in young minds, and in light of her culture-shaking death on Tuesday (Aug.

25), her work in the literary world was honored at the highest possible institutional level in the United States.

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Flags Lowered to Half-Staff for 1 Week to Mourn Dolly Parton: ‘The World Loves You’ The Library of Congress shared a tribute to the Queen of Country on Tuesday afternoon, shortly after news of her dying at the age of 80 was shared earlier that day.

“The Library is devastated to learn of the passing of @DollyParton, a music legend and titan of children’s literacy,” the federal establishment wrote on X .

“Her Imagination Library program has earned multiple Library Literacy Awards and, in 2018, she visited us to donate its 100 millionth book to our collection and host a story time,” the post continued, alongside a sweet photo of Parton reading a book to a group of enraptured children seated on the floor in front of her.

The 10-time Grammy winner started the Imagination Library in 1995, beginning as a program for her native Sevier County, Tenn., that saw the distribution of free books to children up to the age of 5, regardless of their family’s income.

It soon expanded to service households across the country, then grew to include Canada, the U.K., Ireland and Australia.

By 2022, the charity was mailing two million books globally every month, according to its website .

Parton famously founded the Imagination Library in honor of her father, who never learned to read or write.

“Even though my daddy didn’t get an education, my daddy was really smart in making deals and bargaining and how he raised a family like he did,” the “I Will Always Love You” singer-songwriter told Billboard in her 2020 cover story.

The announcement of Parton’s death was delivered by her nephew, Bryan Seaver, who served as her head of security for 20 years.

“Sadness lies with us, not with Dolly,” he said in a video message posted to the singer’s Instagram.

“Dolly has lived in the light … by her example, we believed that anything was possible.