08/25/2026
A champion of children's literacy; an immeasurable, unmatched talent; a beacon of kindness and generosity; an icon.
Dolly, we will always love you. Thank you for everything.
The staff at the library are saddened to hear about the passing of the legendary Dolly Parton. Dolly was the Queen of Country Music, an artist whose talent was unmatched. During her career she sold over 100 million records and had over 25 number one hits. She won 11 Grammys, 3 Emmys, 13 ACM awards, 10 CMA Awards, and recently added Academy Award winner to her resume, when she received the coveted Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy.
For us, Dolly was the greatest champion of literacy in the world. Her Dolly Parton Imagination Library gifts over 3 million books each month to children in five countries across the globe. To date, the library has gifted over 300 million books and counting. When asked about her incredible project she said: "“When I was growing up in the hills of East Tennessee, I knew my dreams would come true. I know there are children in your community with their own dreams. They dream of becoming a doctor or an inventor or a minister. Who knows, maybe there is a little girl whose dream is to be a writer and singer. The seeds of these dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.”
Dolly was one of a kind. She was hilariously witty, always herself, and she believed it was her mission to love everyone no matter what. To quote her friend Reba McEntire: "“Dolly always has a way of making everyone feel like they are the only one in the room".
Through her wit, her talent, and her tireless advocacy for libraries and literacy, Dolly has left an enduring legacy, and we will miss her eternal light.
