Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton started the Imagination Library in her home county in Tennessee in 1995, inspired by her father, who could not read. It posts a free book every month to registered children from birth to age five, with local partners sharing the cost, and by mid-2026 it had gifted more than 325 million books across the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and Ireland. She remained its public face until her death in August 2026, and the programme continues.