Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library left a global literacy legacy
Parton’s program mailed free books monthly to young children, growing from a Tennessee initiative into one of the world’s largest early literacy efforts.
While Dolly Parton was celebrated for chart-topping songs, blockbuster movies and a career that spanned more than six decades, many families knew her through a different legacy: a literacy program that delivered free books to young children each month. Following news of Parton’s death Tuesday at age 80, educators, parents and literacy advocates are reflecting on the impact of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which grew from a local effort in Tennessee into one of the world’s largest childhood reading initiatives, Reuters reported.