The People's Librarian: Dolly Parton Is Bringing Books Back To The People (Thank Goodness)

The American education system is weathering a period of major uncertainty, as K-12 schools are plagued with chronic teacher shortages, declining math and reading scores, and gaps in necessary resources. Within politics, there has been a moral panic about the content of school curriculum, leading to book-banning campaigns, a conservative push away from public education, and a general discontent with the current state of schooling.

In these ways and more, Dolly's Parton Imagination Library is just as relevant as it was during its creation in 1995. The program, which delivers monthly, free books to children ages 0 to 5, was originally designed to serve Parton's home county of Sevier, Tennessee, but has since expanded across America and to countries like Canada, England, and Australia. The Imagination Library works with local nonprofits to deliver books to children at no cost to families, having a consistently positive impact on little ones and their communities.

The program encourages involved family members to read aloud to enrolled children, a practice that helps develop language skills, promotes a love of learning and reading, and is linked to positive school performance. Parton may be childfree in her personal life, but she's truly become the people's librarian, with the Imagination Library celebrating its 150 millionth gifted book in 2020, and mailing 2 million books every month as of 2022.

Dolly Parton might be most known for her country stardom and memorable fashion, but her philanthropic efforts are a huge part of her career, with the Imagination Library being inspired by her personal life. "My dad and a lot of my relatives that grew up hard too, big families, they couldn't actually get a chance to go to school, because they had to work," Parton told CNBC in 2016. "My daddy couldn't read and write, but daddy was so smart, he could just do numbers in his head."

Parton was inspired by her dad's experience to ensure that the children of her home county had the resources to learn to read and write, with the initiative expanding with the assistance of local communities, covering the costs necessary to keep the books free for families. "I just think it's important because if you can read, you can educate yourself about any subject," Parton told Rookie Magazine in 2017. "You don't have to have money. If you can't afford to go to school, there's a book on every subject. It's not going to do you any good if you can't read, so that was the main thing, as inspired by my dad." Before his death in 2000, Robert Lee Parton witnessed and participated in the early success of the charity, with the Imagination Library only growing since then. "He got such a kick out of people calling me the book lady," Dolly said.

Just like there are simple ways to get involved in local politics, there are also ways to promote reading and literacy in your communities. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library offers one way, as you can use the Find My Program tool to identify your local affiliate and enroll the little ones in your life. The program partners with schools, churches, and local nonprofits to serve specific areas, with local affiliates responsible for securing a portion of funding and promoting community enrollment. If your community isn't already partnered with the organization, then we recommend checking out the Imagination Library's affiliate information page for resources.

Similarly, we also recommend getting involved with and supporting your local library, as it serves as a valuable community space and a source of free and accessible knowledge. Getting a library card and visiting your local institution are the easiest ways to show your support, but you can also participate in library events and even inquire about volunteer work. Being active in local politics can also help combat book bans, as you can thoughtfully participate in elections and hold your local officials accountable through public forums.