In The Know with Gino: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Reaches 200 Million Books & Announces Exciting Giveaway Celebration
Graphic Courtesy of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
SEVIERVILLE, TN – Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the renowned early childhood book-gifting program, is proud to announce a significant milestone of gifting 200 million books globally since its inception in 1995. This achievement marks a new chapter in The Imagination Library legacy, which has touched the lives of countless children and families around the world. In celebration of this remarkable accomplishment, the program has unveiled an exciting event to engage its young readers.
During International Literacy Month in September, the Imagination Library will hide seven enchanting Dolly bookmarks randomly inside the books gifted to children and families enrolled in the program. To be eligible for this celebration, children must be enrolled by July 31, 2023. Lucky recipients who discover these hidden bookmarks will have the opportunity to receive an extraordinary prize package.
Seven random children or families in five countries will have the chance to enjoy a video chat with the legendary Dolly Parton herself. Additionally, they will receive a personalized signed letter, an autographed photo, and four tickets to the acclaimed Dollywood Theme Park. To show gratitude to the Local Imagination Library Partner in their community, the Dollywood Foundation will donate $2,000 on behalf of each chosen child. Dolly considers these local partners the true heroes of her program.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library was inspired by her father’s own struggles with illiteracy. In 1995, she established the program in her hometown of Sevier County, Tennessee, with a mission to provide free, high-quality books to children from birth to the age of five. Since then, the program has expanded to five countries and currently gifts over 2.4 million age-appropriate books every month. The Imagination Library remains accessible to all children under the age of five in areas where the program operates, with no charges to participating families.
Reflecting on this significant achievement, Dolly expressed her deep commitment to fostering a love of reading in children worldwide. “I know there are children in communities around the world with big dreams, and the seeds of these dreams are often found in books,” she shared. “Reaching 200 million books worldwide is a major milestone that I’m so very proud of, and I want to thank all of our local program partners, funders, and supporters from the bottom of my heart. But we’re just getting warmed up; we have so much more to do! Together, we can inspire even more children to dream more, learn more, care more, and be more.”
Participation in the “200 Million Reasons to Celebrate” event is voluntary and will not affect enrollment in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. All children under the age of five who are actively enrolled in the program by July 31, 2023, are eligible to participate. To find out more about this special celebration and the Imagination Library, visit www.imaginationlibrary.com/200-million-books.
Since its launch in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become the leading early childhood book-gifting program globally. As the flagship initiative of The Dollywood Foundation, it has mailed over 200 million free books across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland. With a monthly distribution of more than two million high-quality, age-appropriate books, the Imagination Library aims to cultivate a lifelong love of reading and inspire children to dream. The program’s impact has been extensively studied, revealing positive increases in key early childhood literacy metrics. Penguin Random House proudly serves as the exclusive publisher for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. For additional information, please visit imaginationlibrary.com.
