Early childhood experts weigh in on Dolly Parton’s literacy legacy

Dolly Parton left behind more than a musical legacy following her passing on Aug. 25. The country music icon was also a philanthropist and a staunch advocate for early childhood literacy. Imagination Library, Dolly Parton's book-giving program, has distributed millions of children's books worldwide since 1995.

The program ships one free book per month to every enrolled child until age five. Eastern early childhood experts say the program’s biggest impact has been expanding equitable access to learning materials for families.

"There is a large opportunity gap for children and families in the United States that results in limited access to education and educational materials," said Theresa Bouley, professor of education. "For some children, the books donated to them by the Imagination Library may be the only books they have in their home."

Bouley said that research shows children who lack access to books at home enter school at a disadvantage.

Niloufar Rezai, director of Eastern's Child and Family Development Resource Center (CFDRC), agrees, saying that exposure to books supports language development, literacy skills, vocabulary growth, and stronger parent-child interactions.

Beyond individual children, Rezai explained how literacy initiatives can strengthen communities.

"Programs that place books directly into the hands of children help strengthen connections between families, schools, libraries, and early childhood programs," she said.

"They also contribute to long-term educational outcomes, encouraging early literacy by helping close opportunity gaps that can exist before children enter kindergarten."

Challenges despite success

Although Parton's Imagination Library distributes millions of books annually, childhood literacy still faces challenges nationwide.

Bouley said that interactive “read-alouds” of children's books — such as story time in pre-K classrooms — are increasingly being replaced by individual activities or digital technology.

"Neither can replace the benefits of listening to a teacher reading a high-quality book out loud," Bouley said.

Bouley also suggested a decline in adult reading could impact childhood reading.

"Today's children see their parents and caregivers reading books less and less," she said. "Children are greatly influenced by watching what their caregivers do, or don't do. Modeling the purpose and pleasure of reading is critical."

Another challenge is funding for childhood education.

"Historically, and even more so today, schools have been grossly underfunded," Bouley said. "Often teachers end up spending their own money just to stock their classroom libraries, so buying books to send home to families is nearly impossible."

She suggested that programs that donate books to schools and directly to families —  like the Imagination Library — could have a profound impact on children, communities, teachers, and schools.

Bouley also stressed the availability of multilingual books. "With a culturally and linguistically diverse community such as Willimantic, books should not just be written in English, but in the family's native language."

In 2023, the Imagination Library addressed this need directly by launching an English-Spanish bilingual program that provides books with both English and Spanish text.

On campus

At Eastern, the CFDRC’s Lily Pad Lending Library, an initiative with a mission similar to the Imagination Library, aims to close opportunity gaps in early childhood literacy in Windham. The Lily Pad lends free books and educational resources for young learners and families to enjoy at home.

"At the CFDRC, we have seen the value of expanding access to high-quality children's literature firsthand," said Rezai. "Similar to the goals of the Imagination Library, the initiative recognizes that literacy development extends beyond the classroom and that families play a critical role in fostering a love of reading."

Rezai concluded: "The lasting legacy of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library may be its recognition that something as simple as a book can be a powerful tool in promoting equity, literacy, and family Engagement."  

About the Imagination Library

Parton founded the Imagination Library in 1995 to distribute books in her childhood home in Sevier County, TN. She created the program in honor of her father, whom she credited as one of the most intelligent people she knew despite being illiterate.

The program quickly gained popularity in Tennessee and expanded nationwide. By 2007, Imagination Library had operations across the United States, Native American communities, Canada, and the United Kingdom. By 2010, the program had donated more than 25 million books to families worldwide.

"I know there are children in your community with their own dreams," Parton said on the program's website. "The seeds of these dreams are often found in books, and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world."