ROWAN COUNTY, Ky. (LEX News) — Dolly Parton's legacy extends beyond music through her Imagination Library, a program that puts free books into the hands of children from birth to age five — including families in all 120 Kentucky counties.
Parton started the program in 1995 in honor of her father. What began in a single Tennessee county now serves children around the world.
Morgan Mullins, communication manager at the Rowan County Public Library, said the program's reach reflects something deeper than celebrity.
"I have always been a Dolly Parton fan," Mullins said. "I don't think you can be from Appalachia and not be a fan."
Mullins said the Imagination Library has made a meaningful difference in children's access to books and reading.
"With the Imagination Library, she was able to touch children's lives across the world and bring literacy into their homes, where otherwise it might have been difficult to reach."
Mullins said that kind of access can help shape a child's relationship with reading.
"In so many ways, literacy is the key to everything that we do in our lives. Through the Imagination Library, Dolly delivered a genuine gift."
For Mullins, the program speaks to the kind of legacy Parton built — one designed to outlast her.
"If there is anything I think we can take from her legacy, it is that she was the type of person who leaves a mark that goes on, even if she isn't the one behind it. That's the mark I believe she wanted to leave."
Alex Barber is committed to covering stories in your community that matter to you. If you have an idea, reach out to him at alex.barber@wlex.tv.
