Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Gives Out 100 Millionth Free Book

Jenna Amatulli
Updated

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, her charity that gives free books to children, has just given away its 100 millionth book.

The milestone volume was a copy of Parton’s newest children’s picture book, Coat of Many Colors, titled after her 1971 single of the same name. It was given to the Library of Congress in Washington, where Parton has a partnership to livestream story readings.

You can watch Tuesday’s Library of Congress dedication ceremony below:

Parton established Imagination Library in honor of her illiterate father in 1995 in Sevier Country, Tennessee, where she grew up. The program donates books to families once a month, and will do so from a child’s birth to age 5.

The singer writes on the program’s website that when she was growing up, she knew her dreams would come true, and knows there are children with their own dreams.

“They dream of becoming a doctor or an inventor or a minister. Who knows, maybe there is a little girl whose dream is to be a writer and singer. The seeds of these dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.”

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“People think I’m a vegan. I’m not. Or they think I take lots of vitamins. I don’t. Or they think I have a daily exercise routine. But I certainly can’t jog or I’d black both my eyes and beat myself to death. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/27/dolly-parton-book-dream-more_n_2199212.html">So where does all my energy come from</a>? Well, I’m blessed that I do not require much sleep, which is a very good thing for me.”
“After you reach a certain age, they think you’re over. Well, I will never be over. I’ll be making records if I have to sell them out of the trunk of my car. I’ve done that in my past, and I’d do it again.” (via <a href="http://www.aarp.org/about-aarp/press-center/info-03-2009/Dolly_Parton_Magazine_Cover.html">AARP</a>)
"I love to flirt, and I've never met a man I didn't like. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pat-gallagher/dolly-parton-marriage-carl-dean-anniversary_b_1545140.html">Men are my weakness</a>.”
"I love to flirt, and I've never met a man I didn't like. Men are my weakness.”
"I just don't feel like I have to explain myself. I love everybody." (via <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/dolly-parton-gay-rumors-losing-drag-queen-alike/story?id=17812138">Nightline</a>)
"I just don't feel like I have to explain myself. I love everybody." (via Nightline)
"Hey, you try wagging these puppies around a while and see if you don't have back problems," the singer said in a statement after postponing her tour in 2008. (via <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/02/11/us-parton-idUSN1165292920080211">Reuters</a>)
"I will never retire unless I had to. As long as I'm able to get up in the morning, get that makeup on, get those high heels on. Even if I can't wear the high heels, if I'm not able to wear 'em, I'm going to do like Mae West and sit in a wheelchair with my high heels on and have somebody wheel me around." (via <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/dolly-parton-gay-rumors-losing-drag-queen-alike/story?id=17812138">Nightline</a>)
On her 46-year-long marriage to husband Carl Dean: “I think Carl will always see me the way he did when we first met, just as I do him. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pat-gallagher/dolly-parton-marriage-carl-dean-anniversary_b_1545140.html">We'll never be old to each other</a>."
"I don't think they age. My girls are doing pretty good." (via <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/dolly-parton-gay-rumors-losing-drag-queen-alike/story?id=17812138">Nightline</a>)
"I don't think they age. My girls are doing pretty good." (via Nightline)

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.