Dolly Parton’s literacy program has hit an impressive milestone. Founded two decades ago by the singer-songwriter in her native Sevier County, the Imagination Library started out sending 1,500 books a month. It’s now hit one million free books a month to children around the globe.
Every child enrolled in the program gets a book per month until the age of 5.
Speaking to PBS, children’s author Matt de la Peña said he was impressed with the Imagination Library’s longevity.
“Most people when they start something like this, it kind of fades away after a few years,” he said. “But she’s just continued to grow it, and she’s doing great work.”
To mark the million-book achievement, this week Parton announced a two-year-old enrollee was randomly chosen to receive the Library’s first college scholarship, which should be worth $50,000 once the girl is 18.
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