Dolly Parton Expands Imagination Library in Kentucky

Dolly Parton celebrated the statewide expansion of her Imagination Library program in Missouri and Kentucky, which provides free monthly books to children under five. The initiative, inspired by her father's struggles with literacy, has been in operation since 1995 and currently distributes over 3 million books monthly to children across 21 states and internationally. Parton highlighted the importance of literacy during events in both states, where she shared her father's story and the program's impact, including reaching over 120,000 children in Kentucky alone. Governor Andy Beshear declared August as 'Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Kentucky Month' and honored her with the title of Kentucky Colonel. The program is funded through a combination of state and local contributions, with Missouri covering the full cost at $11 million last fiscal year. Parton aims to expand the program's reach further, believing in its potential to foster a love for reading among young children.