08/25/2026
Thank you, Dolly, for believing that every child deserves a book and the chance to fall in love with reading. We’re so grateful for all you’ve done for libraries, literacy and generations of readers. ❤️
ALA is heartbroken at the passing of country music legend, cultural icon, and champion of literacy Dolly Parton.
Dolly’s award-winning Imagination Library initiative, inspired by her father’s inability to read or write, has put hundreds of millions of free books into the hands of children across America and was considered by her to be one of her greatest achievements.
“We’re giving books to kids who wouldn’t have a chance to get them otherwise,” she told American Libraries in a 2018 interview. “A lot of people think this is just for poor children—it’s for all children. It’s important to get books into the hands of any child that we can.”
ALA was proud to confer Dolly with an honorary lifetime membership, the Association’s highest honor, in 2023 for her lasting impact on librarianship, libraries, and the communities they serve.
Dolly was also part of ALA’s Celebrity READ campaign, in which she holds a copy of 'The Little Engine That Could.'
“I’ve always related to that book because I’m the little engine that did!” she said.
Thank you, Dolly. ❤️
