Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library expands after her death

Global Expansion of the Imagination Library

The program, which mails an age-appropriate book every month to enrolled children from birth until their fifth birthday, has distributed more than 300 million free books worldwide since its founding in 1995. Parton started the organization in her home county in Tennessee in honor of her father, who could not read or write, and eventually grew the effort into an international literacy initiative operating across five countries. Communities abroad continue to embrace the delivery model, with Renfrewshire establishing its first “Dolly Parton Day” on September 25, 2026, to celebrate the reading scheme’s local impact. Renfrewshire provost Lorraine Cameron noted that the singer touched lives worldwide through her music and reading scheme, stating that the project gives children the best possible start.

Growth and Impact Across U.S. Communities

Stateside participation continues to scale across urban and rural regions alike. In Washington, D.C., more than 100,000 children have participated in the program through a partnership with the D.C. Public Library, according to executive director Richard Reyes-Gavilan. Parents across the country have reported that the monthly mailings help spark early childhood literacy habits. Olivia Dockery, a 30-year-old parent in Georgia whose two young sons receive the books, said the mailings serve as a launch point for a love of literature. Shami Chimonyo, who enrolled her 7-month-old daughter in Washington, cited the quality of the writing and visual presentation as key benefits for young learners facing declining literacy rates.