Dolly Parton celebrates her Imagination Library program
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Dolly Parton during a 2018 celebration of Imagination Library's 100 millionth donated book. Photo: Shannon Finney/Getty Images
Dolly Parton never imagined her book giveaway program would amount to much more than helping children in her native Sevier County, Tennessee, learn to read.
- But over the past 27 years, millions of young children across the globe have enjoyed a free "Dolly book" every month.
Driving the news: The entertainment icon visited Columbus yesterday to promote her Imagination Library program and thank county sponsors from all over the state.
- Her appearance alongside Gov. Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine also served as a celebration — Ohio now has the most enrollees of any U.S. state.
- The governor also declared Aug. 9 "Dolly Parton Day."
Why it matters: Few government programs are as universally praised as the Imagination Library, which mails free books to Ohio children ages 0-5.
- And few celebrities are as universally beloved as Dolly, a self-described lover of reading who takes pride in being known by younger generations not as a country music icon, but as "The Book Lady."
Between the lines: The Imagination Library is an unmitigated success for the DeWines, whose statewide travel promoting new sign-ups coincides with the governor's reelection efforts.
- For Gov. DeWine — pummeled by Republicans for his pandemic response and later by Democrats for his stances on abortion, redistricting and gun rights — the program offers a much-welcomed and apolitical diversion on the campaign trail.
By the numbers: 48% of eligible Ohio children receive books, or more than 343,000 kids in total, though Franklin County's participation rate is considerably lower.
- Fran DeWine's goal is for the state to reach 50% by the end of the year.
Zoom out: A total of 186 million books have been mailed out since Parton launched the program in 1995, around 3 million of which have gone to Ohio families.
What she said: Dolly has earned countless honors in her life, but hopes this program will be her true legacy.
- "I'll be as proud of this as anything I've ever done. When they lay me down, I'll be thinking of the Imagination Library."
- She also admitted to wanting people in 100 years to say about her, "Golly, she looks good for her age."
Words of inspiration: Dolly performed two songs to close out her visit, including "Try" — a theme song for the reading program about making an effort to better yourself and the world.
- It's a lesson she's learned since mailing out her first book in eastern Tennessee.
- "I'm always doin' something. It's just one dream after another."
Dolly's quote du jour: "The DeWines. I love that name, don't you? Please pass DeWine."
