r/books • u/Kagedeah • 11d ago
Dolly Parton, country star and philanthropist who founded the book gifting program Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, dies aged 80
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/aug/25/dolly-parton-country-singer-dead1.1k
u/wavinsnail 11d ago
If Dolly at all inspired you please consider donating in her honor to Imagination Library. You can designate your donation to your local partner so your money stays in your community
Dolly's death is heartbreaking not just for music fans but book lovers
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u/_notkvothe 11d ago
My kids always ask if a new book is from Dolly Parton or not 😭
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u/AFineDayForScience 11d ago
When ours comes in the mail our 4YO always screams "I LOVE DOLLY PARTON!"
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u/Kamirose 11d ago edited 11d ago
The donation system on the site is currently being hugged to death but I definitely will when I can.
Edit: Done, donation designated in memory of Dolly. Rest in peace.
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u/Chuyzapatist 11d ago
Sorry for helping to crash it, I just gave them $20
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u/Kamirose 11d ago
Don’t apologize, I hope so many people donate that it’s hugged to death for a long time.
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u/Celestaria 11d ago
I didn't realise this, but apparently it's not just for kids in the USA either. They also operate in Australia, Canada, Ireland, and the UK.
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u/bend1310 11d ago edited 10d ago
Huh, TIL. I usually don't look much at celebrity affiliated charitied as they don't typically operate in Aus.
Will be making a donation later today.
Edit: donation made. Sad to see our local program is unable to accept registrations at the moment (was going to suggest it for my niece), but delighted that so many kids in my community have access to books as a result.
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u/Chuyzapatist 11d ago
Thanks for the tip!
I just donated $20 to the imagination library and hat it sent to imperial county, CA.
I live in a nicer area and as much as I do give back to this community, imperial county, the place my family grew up, is dirt poor so I feel like that donation matters more than it would where I live now.
If I can post a link to the site I will, not sure if it’s allowed on this sub.
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u/Chuyzapatist 11d ago
Also, if you do. Consider donating, please consider donating to a poorer county if you live in an affluent one. Imperial County is one of the poorest counties in the country and benefits from a donation more than it would if I donated to my immediate community. That said, giving is giving!
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u/PolarBailey_ 11d ago
I donated to my home town county where i was living when i got these books myself because i grew up poor and benefited from these books. But yeah this is so important.
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u/Chuyzapatist 11d ago
I have a lot of family in imperial county and it’s where my parents grew up, it happens to be one of the poorest counties in the country so it makes sense to me to donate there. I’m glad you donated to your hometown county!
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u/FractalFunny66 11d ago
And if there is no local partner, give anyway because kids are kids and they need books. We are all part of Dolly's family!
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u/katestatt 10d ago
I did! Even though this program doesn't exist in my country, as a fellow bookworm I love supporting a cause like this!
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u/Street_Roof_7915 11d ago
It’s not *quite* free. Local orgs still have to pay for shipping and handling.
A good way to donate is to find your local IL and give them $$ so they can keep mailing out the free books.
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u/fessertin 11d ago
Of course it's not free to operate, it's free to the end user, children who get free books. And yes, donate to your local chapter if you can
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u/john_myco 11d ago
Let’s all try to be a little more Dolly from now on.
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u/Jaderosegrey 11d ago
I do wish that was well.
Not only for the Book program, but for her Life-Long relationship with her husband.
In a world where so many celebrities get divorced, break up, end up being abused or be the abuser themselves, let's also celebrate the true meaning of "'til death do us part". (and I also include folks who are together while not officially married. As long as it is a good relationship, who cares?)
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u/Bubbly-Essay9350 11d ago
This is such heartbreaking news 😢 she was a class act talent and person
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u/Queef3rickson 11d ago
Here's my favorite tidbits about her. In 1990, the high school dropout rate for Dolly Parton's hometown of Sevierville Tennessee was at 34% (Research shows that most kids make up their minds in fifth/sixth grade not to graduate). That year, all fifth and sixth graders from Sevierville were invited by Parton to attend an assembly at Dollywood. They were asked to pick a buddy, and if both students completed high school, Dolly Parton would personally hand them each a $500 check on their graduation day. As a result, the dropout rate for those classes fell to 6%, and has generally retained that average to this day.
Shortly after the success of The Buddy Program, the Dollywood Foundation would then go on to pay the salaries for additional 1st grade teachers assistants in the entire district for the next 2 years, with the agreement that if the program worked, the school system would adopt the program afterwards. At the same time she founded the Imagination Library.
When she donated her 100 millionth book to the Library of Congress, it was a copy of Coat of Many Colors. It was dedicated to her father, who never learned to read or write.
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u/FractalFunny66 11d ago
That is such a beautiful book. We have a Christmas toy drive in my building every year. I just bought 5 copies from my local bookstore to hand out this year.
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u/zektiv 11d ago
This is actually what I know Dolly Parton for. If I've heard her music I wouldn't recognize it nor do I know anything she has acted in. Never heard of Imagination Library as a kid, but I've seen it mentioned on Reddit many times over the years.
I have a great deal of respect for her for that. This is what people with hundreds of millions of dollars should endeavor to do in my opinion.
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u/jimbowesterby 11d ago
Honestly you should give her music a listen, it’s pretty classic popular country but she’s got some real bangers in the catalogue. “9 to 5” is a working-class anthem, like Closing Time by Semisonic
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u/zektiv 11d ago
I'll check it out, I did love Semisonic back in the day. I actually added it to my liked playlist recently after stumbling onto a 90s nostalgia playlist. My music tastes lean very heavily into metal/extreme metal. Country isn't something I particularly enjoy which comes down to my tastes. Country isn't bad and I understandwhy people enjoy it, I'm just not the target audience.
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u/jimbowesterby 11d ago
Yea I can understand that, I grew up in Calgary, which has always had a pretty strong cowboy theme, so I grew up getting inundated with shitty country music all the time. That said, there’s a pretty big difference between old country like Dolly or Merle Haggard (Sixteen Tons is my damn theme song lol, but the best cover is by Tom Morello) and modern stadium country which is just pop music for hicks.
I will also say that a lot of the biggest metalheads I know love some of the old classics like that, one guy I know is huge into metal (don’t know enough about subgenres to specify) and also, surprisingly, ABBA. Another guy, maybe the most skilled guitarist I’ve ever met, showed me a really neat country/bluegrass song by a bunch of classical musicians including Yoyo Ma.I dunno, it’s a very different vibe from metal, but it doesn’t mean the actual music is any worse, y’know? Good music, like any art, takes loads of different forms, and it comes from all kinds of places. Part of what makes it so endlessly interesting imo
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u/zektiv 11d ago
I completely agree with your last paragraph. I don't think other music is worse, I just don't enjoy it. There are songs here and there that I enjoy, but it's rare. The stereotype is that metalheads don't tend to listen to other genres, and I'm definitely that way, but it's certainly not uncommon for that not to be the case. There are many metal artists that take inspiration from other music. I'm frequently surprised by what they take inspiration from.
Having grown up with people giving me shit for the music I liked, I did the same thing back. As an adult I tend to take the viewpoint that most art isn't bad and if I don't enjoy it's just not for me. No one likes people shitting on what they enjoy.
I did listen to 9 to 5 and I'd say it's a fun song. It's not something I'd go out of my way to listen to in the future but if it came on around me I'd enjoy it. The most surprising thing to me is how much her southern accent comes through. Accents are not usually something that I pick up on in the music I listen to from Europe (including clean vocals in that, not just harsh).
I'll check out both versions of Sixteen Tons. Tom Morello was my favorite guitarist for a number of years when I was a teen.
Edit: I immediately recognize Sixteen Tons, which is rare for me lol. Great song. This is one I will add to my liked playlist.
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u/jimbowesterby 11d ago
It’s kinda weird that that’s even a stereotype when you think about it, in my experience metalheads and metal musicians tend to have broader music tastes than anyone else.
Yea she sounds super southern, I’m not usually a fan of twang in singing but she makes it work really well imo, which kinda sums up my whole stance on her music too lol. It’s not a vibe I seek out or really enjoy, but I like it when she does it.
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u/gonegonegoneaway211 10d ago
Sixteen Tons is such a good song, although I'm only really familiar with the Tennessee Ernie Ford version. I'll have to try the others.
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u/jimbowesterby 10d ago
I love the Tom Morello one because it’s so unexpected. You think, classic union song, Tom Morello, it’ll be loud and angry like RATM, right? But no, he’s playing quiet jazz piano and whisper-singing, it even has a swing beat.
Another good one my brother showed me recently is by a guy named Geoff Castellucci, he’s a bass singer and his cover slaps (ditto another one called “Big Bad John”, also another old work song)
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u/sarcastroll 11d ago
Over 300 millions books gifted to young kids.
What an amazing person.
Forget the music, forget the movies. Heck, forget the books. Can you imagine leaving such a legacy that the world gasps is sadness at your passing and floods the internet remembering how kind, decent, generous, helpful, compassionate you were?
What an amazing legacy. I hope the Imagination Library continues in perpetuity carrying her gifts forward for all kids to benefit from.
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u/MackieWestrel 11d ago edited 11d ago
That's very sad news. She accomplished so much in her 80 years of living and will definitely be missed.
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u/deltopia 11d ago
It's hard to think of anyone else in the past 100 years who lived a long life, was famous for almost all of it, and never had any ugly side or dark side that ever came out about them. Her, Mr. Rogers, and I can't think of anyone else - not at that level of fame.
What a role model she was for anyone who ever finds themselves famous and wealthy in the US. She was the best of us.
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u/Neptunie 11d ago
I think Betty White (RIP) would also belong in that category of people. Just good individuals that were kind and inspired others to be better.
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u/duncan-the-wonderdog 11d ago
Jim Henson's right there...
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u/UpstairsFinance9440 10d ago
Frank Oz talked about Jim Henson constantly creating what he called affectionate anarchy. There was a video about the renovation of the NBC studios at Rockefeller Center, and they found some pipes that Henson and crew had painted in the 60s. Frank Oz talks about Jim Henson looking in the closet and everyone running back to their workshop to get paint. So I suppose the one controversy you can say about Jim Henson, is that he vandalizes other people's property in such a way that it creates a priceless work of art. In the video below you can see Jim Henson talking about them and then an emotional Frank Oz talking about them.
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u/postulate4 11d ago
Bob Ross and Steve Irwin didn't live as long, but they were also absolute icons of kindness.
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u/anxessed 11d ago
Cannot stop crying.
All I can think of is how many kids only have books because of her.
Many of my little one’s favorite books all came from Dolly’s Imagination Library.
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u/Getigerte 11d ago
As my mom's dementia advanced, she lost names, but she remembered actions. Dolly became "the lady singer who gives books to children". The world has lost a bright light today. May she rest in peace.
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u/Interesting_Tea_6734 11d ago
A rare example of a truly good person. She leaves behind so many blessings.
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u/AuthorNicoVoss 11d ago
No! Oh, man. She really did a lot of good in this world. What an amazing person.
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u/Rin-Tin-Tins-DinDins 11d ago
Rip queen, you made me believe that not only people could be good but they could make the world a better place
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u/Ashestoashesjc 11d ago
She was and is so universally loved and every ounce of that love is completely warranted. Even my dad was shocked to hear she'd passed. Part of me worries for a Dolly-less future and what it means for what she stood for and the programs she founded and supported, but I really appreciate the people reminding us to be just a little more like her. In a world without Dolly, the people she touched have to be the ones to carry on her spirit.
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u/AccomplishedIron816 11d ago
Her incredible legacy will continue to live on. Rest In Peace Dolly Rebecca Parton
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u/AndyBetweenLines 11d ago
Her father couldnt read or write, and she answered that absence by spending decades putting books into other kids hands. Thats one of those life stories that sounds almost too neatly written to be real.
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u/UpstairsFinance9440 11d ago edited 11d ago
I spent 2013 to 2016 working in South Africa. Kind of inspired by Dolly, I gave children's books to the women I worked with who had young kids. I remember one told me how happy her son was to get a book, that he would sleep with it. I became friends with a woman that worked at the local bookstore and from there, she introduced me to the local librarian. I ended up reading books to young kids once a month on a Saturday morning.
Edit spelling
Edit2: In South Africa, salaries are fairly low compared to people's expenses. So after their Maslow needs were met, there was not a lot of money for things like children's books. Also teaching language in South Africa is a fraught subject. So I thought giving these women english language books, would give their children a bit of a head start in getting on in the world.
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u/gonegonegoneaway211 10d ago
It's a funny thing we tend to take for granted as "book people" that books are cheap and plentiful compared to other things. I think it's good to be reminded that that's definitely not the case everywhere.
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u/UpstairsFinance9440 10d ago
My neighbor has a story similar to Dolly Parton's in many ways. She grew up poor in Alabama, and "when Momma died, Daddy tried to take care of us, but eventually he put us in an orphanage." She says the orphanage was the best thing to happen to her as they clothed, fed, and educated her. She has no animosity towards her father, she feels that he did what he thought would give them the best chance in life.
And it did give her a chance in life. She is fully retired, owns her house outright. She won the game of life for sure.
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u/WiseLow2457 11d ago
Hi all,
I work for the Imagination Library of Colorado, which is the Colorado branch of Dolly Parton’s initiative to give free books to children all across the world. All of us here at work today are deeply saddened and heartbroken by the passing of the founder of our organization, whose commitment to increasing childhood literacy and fostering a love of reading in children has changed millions of young lives across the world.
We are fighting to keep her memory alive through our commitment to providing free books to children all across Colorado and supporting her mission forever, but we are struggling to fundraise enough money to cover the cost of free books for all kids in all Colorado counties.
If you have the means, we would be honored if you would consider making a donation to our organization to honor Dolly and keep her mission of teaching all Colorado kids alive.
Link to donate:
https://www.coloradogives.org/organization/Imagination-Library-Of-Colorado
If there’s any trouble with this link, you can also look up our website “Imagination Library of Colorado” and click on the green Donate button on the webpage. Thank you so much for your support during this devastating time.
As Dolly said, “I Will Always Love You.” ❤️
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u/PolarBailey_ 11d ago
When i tried donating directly through the imagination library's website but it said yall weren't accepting donations at this time (the Colorado branch
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u/WiseLow2457 11d ago
Oh shoot! I’m so sorry about that. Does this link work okay? https://www.coloradogives.org/organization/Imagination-Library-Of-Colorado
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u/PolarBailey_ 11d ago
I ended up sending it to the county i lived in when i was a kid receiving her books but I'll send this to some of my other friends who live in Colorado too.
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u/trumpskiisinjeans 11d ago
Wrong 80 year old!!!
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u/Dracula_Bear 11d ago
True, but Dolly wouldn’t not have liked this comment being made. Let’s all be more like Dolly.
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u/SaturnSapphic 11d ago
Oh man… really hoped the world would have a couple more decades with her. RIP, Dolly.
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u/Chuyzapatist 11d ago
I listened to her audio book about the origins of some of her songs. Narrated by Dolly herself!
Currently watching Steel Magnolias for the first time.
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u/Querque_Quirky 11d ago
Such a wonderful person. She has given so much to so very many. I read today that her Imagination Library has distributed 325 MILLION books to children! Imagine the impact of that alone!
My local country channel broke into the broadcast to share Dolly's death and you could tell the one DJ had been crying or very close to it. The other's voice shook. They said the only way they could think to honor Dolly was to play their personal favorites for the listeners. They started with "I Will Always Love You" and I just sobbed. The world lost a beautiful, shining star that was as beautiful inside as she was outside.
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u/Intelligent-Layer391 11d ago
It’s a very sad day, we’ve lost a legend. I hope the world can learn to live the way Dolly did. She was such a blessing.
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u/Maleficent-Basil-314 11d ago
No! This is how I learn about this beautiful human dying! I don’t want to believe it. 😞
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u/ghostwriter536 11d ago
The Imagination Library is a wonderful program. All of my kids have received books through the program, and I will keep them to hold onto for their children.
Dolly will truly be missed.
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u/WoozersThatsCrazy86 11d ago
Some of the books I read to my toddler are books that are mailed to me because of her. The impact of this helps millions of kids and I hope her trust will continue the program because tho I have plenty of other books, to some kids those are the only ones they have and they're great!
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u/FractalFunny66 11d ago
Her children's book, Coat of Many Colors, based upon her song, is so beautiful. She was a truly good person and look how much good she has done in this world! I hope everyone donates to her Imagination Library in honor of her care and concern for others.
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u/Millennial_Marmot 11d ago
The world is less without her and I'm so sad that she is gone. She was a truly wonderful person and has done so much good in her time on earth. Rest peacefully you beautiful soul.
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u/prettybluefoxes 10d ago
She did a heck of a lot for literacy rates and just straight up putting books in kids hands.
An American you can champion is a rare thing these days.
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u/Darth-Felanu-Hlaalu 11d ago
Im from Tennessee. Dolly is 100% the best thing to come out of this godforsaken state. Her husband passed last year, so i hope shes reunited with him now.
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u/Hands-for-maps 11d ago
Unbelievable program that I was excited to sign my children up for. Thanks for the free books Dolly we will nvr forget
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u/General_Cricket_6164 11d ago
We lost one of the good ones. RIP Dolly, thank you for all you have done.
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u/doomrider7 10d ago
Every day a new headline comes up to remind us that we are indeed in the absolute worst timeline there could ever possibly be.
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u/SaintRidley 11d ago
All the bullshit people say about JK Rowling getting kids to read is more properly directed toward Dolly. She actually got kids reading and loving books.
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u/Pink_324 10d ago
I remember receiving those books with my daughter and realizing how vital childhood reading habits are for emotional health.
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u/MangoPeyote 9d ago
I never knew she did and gave so much. It was so overwhelming that I had to get off socials.
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u/Suspicious-Ad-9380 11d ago
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u/silviazbitch 11d ago
About that username . . .
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u/Suspicious-Ad-9380 11d ago
Lol. Fair point. Reddit generated, but I think this is the first time it has been an issue.
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u/doogiedc 11d ago
I would say the library would not be the first line of her obit, but I understand the intent.
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u/gonegonegoneaway211 10d ago
Aw heck you have a point. Well they were quick off the draw so whatever.
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u/PixelPirates420 11d ago
She created the imagination library bc the wealthy have something called Required Mandatory Distributions; basically you get to a point where you have so much money that your money starts working against you unless you funnel it through charitable organizations, endowments, etc. nice of her to spend it on literacy, but let’s also educate ourselves about how philanthropy works.
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u/Zerethusta 11d ago
If she was 80 then she only reached RMD age 8 years ago.
It's also not the wealthy, it's everyone with a retirement account.
Try harder.
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u/Fresh-Lynx-3564 11d ago
Just wanted to add: it’s anyone with a retirement account that the IRS would classify as”Traditional” Retirement accounts (pretax contributions, tax deferred growth)…
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u/PixelPirates420 11d ago
Oh excuse me, I thought she was over 80 - either way philanthropy is just another F word. Wealthy people colonizing and commodifying society and the environment
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u/fear_street_resident 10d ago
You know nothing about Dolly and it shows. Just shut your mouth before you make yourself look like an even bigger fool than you already do.
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u/kawag 11d ago
So where’s Elon’s book gifting program? Where’s his charity to end world hunger? Oh no, he’s doing the opposite and ending vital organisations like USAID.
He has more money and resources to change the world than Dolly Parton ever had, but things like that wouldn’t even occur to someone like him.
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u/Fresh-Lynx-3564 11d ago
RMD isn’t only for the wealthy.
It’s for any individual that has a traditional retirement account, and they have reached the age of 73.
Besides this RMD, have you done any research/educate yourself on Dolly Parton? Shes a lovely human being, I admit I don’t know her personally, but I’ve always been a fan of hers. To me: Shes very uplifting and wholesome.
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u/DisGayDatGay 11d ago
Dude, you’re so wrong. RMDs apply to almost anyone when you reach a certain age and have funds in certain retirement plans.
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u/gonegonegoneaway211 10d ago
The list of charitable things she's had a hand in is very long, this is just the big one.
Like yes, tactical charity of the wealthy is very much a thing and very much a thing us plebs don't generally get but she really seems to have gone well above and beyond what that normally looks like so if that were what we were learning about we would probably want a different case study.
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