Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has changed the lives of children across the world. At the time of writing this, Imagination Library has delivered over 161 million books to children up to five years of age.
Recently, the Library of Congress has acknowledged this achievement by awarding Imagination Library with a $150,000 prize for its efforts in spreading literacy to children all over the globe.
This isn't the first time the Library of Congress has applauded the Imagination Library. The Dollywood Foundation previously received ‘best practice’ recognition from the Library of Congress Literacy Awards.
That doesn't make this current award any less meaningful though. Dollywood Foundation's president, Jeff Conyers, had this to say about it:
“We are grateful to win what truly is the most prestigious award from the Library of Congress. This award showcases how the dream Dolly had years ago has become one of the world’s largest book gifting programs. She continues to express her pride in what the Imagination Library has become, and she is excited for the growth it is poised to experience moving forward. There is no doubt Dolly treasures being called ‘The Book Lady’ more than just about anything.”
We love a woman who uses her position for something far bigger than herself. Dolly is a hero!