The Book Lady!

"How does it feel to be called The Book Lady?" Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden asked singer-songwriter, superstar and philanthropist Dolly Parton at the donation ceremony of the 100th millionth to the Library of Congress' Imagination Library and the announcement of a monthly reading program for young readers. “I do more homework now at night working on these programs than I ever did when I was in school,” laughed Parton. “It just goes to show you that you can’t judge a book by its cover.” She is, of course, referring to her outward, ‘painted lady’ look, as she calls it. “Dolly Parton’s work through her Imagination Library is awe-inspiring,” Hayden said. “They have counted the number of books given away – 100 million – but there is no way to truly quantify the impact this program has had on developing young readers across America and in other parts of the world. This is an extraordinary gift to humankind. The Library of Congress shares this passion for developing young readers and I am so pleased to announce these cooperative programs, which will provide an opportunity for children anywhere to connect with a fun, engaging reading experience.”

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