From the classic country hit “Jolene,” to Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, Dolly Parton has given the world a whole lot to be grateful for.
But if you ask her father, her biggest accomplishment has been the Imagination Library.
“Before he passed away, my Daddy told me the Imagination Library was probably the most important thing I had ever done,” Parton wrote in a letter for the organization, adding that she founded it as a tribute to her father.
“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,” she continued.
Now 30 years since its inception, the organization — which is a project of The Dollywood Foundation — has grown enormously, echoing Parton’s desire that “every child, regardless of income, would have access to books.”
Every month, approximately 3 million children across the United States and Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom receive a free book in the mail. Based on a February 2025 analysis, the project has now delivered over 270 million books.
The Imagination Library also works with local governments, libraries, and schools to implement its programming and reach as many children as possible.
Earlier this year, for instance, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an executive order expanding the program, ensuring that every child in the state from birth to age 5 has access to free monthly books delivered to their homes.
“Today, we’re unlocking the potential of our youngest minds and transforming the future of New Mexico one book at a time,” Grisham said in a statement.
“Every New Mexican child deserves the chance to grow up with books in their home and stories in their hands. Imagination Library proves what’s possible when we invest in our children’s futures.”
New Mexico joins 12 other states that offer the program to every child age 5 or below, with 10 others in progress.
Some programs are implemented with a nonprofit partner, while others rely on state or regional education departments. The Imagination Library handles the rest: managing a central database, book order system, and monthly mailings. An estimated one in seven children under the age of 5 in the U.S. now receives monthly books.
“In the beginning, my hope was simply to inspire the children in my home county, but here we are today with a worldwide program that gives a book a month to well over 3 million children,” Parton shared in her letter.
“The real heroes of our story are the thousands of local organizations who have embraced my dream and made it their own. They raise millions of dollars each year and wake up every day with a passion to make sure their kids have every opportunity to succeed.”
Over the past three decades, The Dollywood Foundation has also conducted research to understand the impact of these donations.
“The findings from the body of Imagination Library research indicate the program is extremely popular in the communities where it is implemented and shows promise in promoting changes in home literacy environments, children’s attitudes toward reading, and early literacy skills,” a statement for the organization shared.
Studies found that having access to books not only supports young minds but also helps parents build confidence in their own reading skills, especially when they read aloud together with their children.
The personalized nature of the donated books also boosts excitement among participating children, who are eager to read their new books when they arrive in the mail addressed specifically to them.
It’s this kind of impact that keeps Parton invested.
“It’s been quite a journey, but we have so much more left to do,” she concludes in her letter. “Let’s share this dream that all children should grow up in a home full of books.”
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A version of this article was originally published in The 2025 Education Edition of the Goodnewspaper.
Header images courtesy of The Dollywood Foundation
