Dolly Parton Discusses Dollywood and Imagination Library

As a young schoolgirl in East Tennessee, Dolly Parton wore a coat of colorful rags her mother pieced together to keep her from the cold. Today, her generosity is revered worldwide. "I never know what I'm going to do or why I'm going to do it," said Parton. "I just see a need, and if I can fill it, then I will." In this video, filmed in December 2024, the Museum's Allison Moorer discusses how the exhibition "Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker" explores this theme.

In 1988, Parton launched the Dollywood Foundation, and the Imagination Library became its flagship program. Robert Lee Parton, Dolly’s father, grew up in a time when Appalachian children went to work instead of to school. Because he never learned to read, he insisted that his children become readers. To honor her father, and to encourage an interest in reading in children age five and under in Sevier County, Tennessee, where she grew up, Parton founded the Imagination Library. She began by teaming with local public, private, and civic organizations across the country to fund and enable the expansion of the program.

Presented in support of the exhibit "Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker," open through October 4, 2026.