About Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five, no matter their family’s income.

After launching in 1995, the program grew quickly. First books were only distributed to children living in Sevier County, Tennessee where Dolly grew up. It became such a success that in 2000 a national replication effort was underway. By 2003, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library had mailed one million books. It would prove to be the first of many millions of books sent to children around the world.

Dolly’s home state of Tennessee pledged to pursue statewide coverage in 2004 and global expansion was on the horizon. After the United States, the program launched in Canada in 2006 followed by the United Kingdom in 2007, Australia in 2013 and the Republic of Ireland in 2019.

Awards & Achievements

 Library of Congress Literacy Awards 

Together, Dolly Parton and her book gifting organization have received honors and awards for their dedication to enriching the lives of children everywhere.

The Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, Best Practices award from the Library of Congress Literacy Awards and recognition in Reading Psychology are just a few among a long list of the prestigious acknowledgments the program has received.

In addition to the many awards the organization has received, several milestones have been celebrated throughout the years. With each goal achieved a new one takes its place, creating an ever-growing and expanding organizational culture, much like that of Dolly’s always-keep-dreaming mindset.

Program Milestones

In addition to the many awards the organization has received, several milestones have been celebrated throughout the years. With each goal achieved a new one takes its place, creating an ever-growing and expanding organizational culture, much like that of Dolly’s always-keep-dreaming mindset.

• 1995 – Through The Dollywood Foundation, Dolly Parton Founded And Launched Her Imagination Library In Sevier County, Tennessee
• 2000 –Imagination Library Began A National Replication Effort
• 2002 – Native American Communities Added
• 2004 –Imagination Library Goes Statewide In Tennessee
• 2005 – International Book Committee Formed
• 2006 –Imagination Library Opens In Canada
• 2007 –Imagination Library Expands To United Kingdom
• 2010 – Dolly Presents 25 Millionth Imagination Library Book
• 2011 – Audio And Braille Books Added
• 2013 – Dolly’s Imagination Library Expands To Australia
• 2015 – Dolly Parton License Plates Began Pre-sales In Tennessee
• 2016 –Imagination Library Begins Sending One Million Books A Month
• 2017 – Official Dolly Parton License Plate Available In Tennessee Benefiting Imagination Library
• 2018 – 100th Million Book Dedicated to the Library of Congress
• 2019 – Dolly’s Imagination Library Expands To The Republic Of Ireland
• 2020 – Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Gifts its 150 millionth Book
• 2021 – The Library of Congress Awards the Imagination Library with the $150k David M. Rubenstein Prize
• 2022 – 2 Million Books mailed each month globally!