Dolly Parton Donates Her 100 Millionth Book To Her Children’s Literacy Program

Dolly Parton donated the 100 millionth book in her Imagination Library. On Good Morning America, Parton talked about what the program means to her and her new partnership with the Library of Congress.

Parton’s nonprofit organization sends out millions of books per month to children all over the world who are part of the program. They can receive books until they enter kindergarten. The singer called the Imagination Library “one of the most precious things” she has done with her life.

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When the singer read the 100 millionth book – her children’s book Coat of Many Colors – she unveiled a new initiative between the Imagination Library and the Library of Congress. The new initiative creates a live-stream of a book reading that will be shared with libraries across the U.S. “It kind of inspires you to dream,” she said. “If you can dream, that’ll lead you to success and to other things… it’s important to get the books in the hands of all these special little kids so they can start early.”

Parton’s father was what inspired her to start the Imagination Library. “My daddy couldn’t read and write and that always troubled him and bothered him, so I wanted to do something special for him,” she said. “So I got the idea to start this program and let my dad help me with it and he got to live long enough to hear the kids call me the ‘book lady.’” She said that she feels like her mother and father are looking down and thinking, “you go.”

Parton hopes the library will inspire the children of the future. ”It’s so important to me because if you can teach children to read they can dream and if you can dream you can be successful,” she said.