Dolly Parton: international treasure, country music star, and glamorous philanthropist has been in the news recently thanks to her amazing work promoting children’s literacy.
In 2016 we told you all about her Imagination Library that was set up in 1995, and all the great work they do to give children a chance to start their reading journey. By 2016 Dolly’s charity had sent out over 60,000,000 books, had 1600 communities involved, and over 750,000 children benefited. Today, thanks in part to a monthly reading program for Washington D.C. youth at the Library of Congress, the donations have hit the 100 millionth mark.
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said in a statement:
“Dolly Parton’s work through her Imagination Library is awe-inspiring. They have counted the number of books given away – 100 million – but there is no way to truly quantify the impact this program has had on developing young readers across America and in other parts of the world. This is an extraordinary gift to humankind. The Library of Congress shares this passion for developing young readers and I am so pleased to announce these cooperative programs, which will provide an opportunity for children anywhere to connect with a fun, engaging reading experience.”
“I always like to say that 100 million books have led to 100 million stories,” Parton herself said. “I am so honoured that our little program is now grown to such a point that we can partner with the Library of Congress to bring even more stories to children across the country.”
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