Nashville has spent the past few weeks remembering Dolly Parton with songs, tributes and stories.
On Sept. 25, fans will be asked to honor her in a way that feels especially close to the work she cared about: putting books into the hands of children.
The Dollywood Foundation has announced the first Give Like Dolly Day, a worldwide day of giving supporting local Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library programs. The date is no accident. Sept. 25 — or 9/25 — is a playful nod to Parton’s famous song and movie 9 to 5.
For Nashville families, though, this is much more than a cute date on the calendar.
Thousands of children across Middle Tennessee already receive an Imagination Library book in the mail every month, and local donations help keep those books coming.
Nashville Is Already Part of Dolly’s Book-Giving Story
Dolly Parton launched the Imagination Library in East Tennessee in 1995. What began as a local effort eventually grew into a worldwide literacy program.
The idea has always been simple: registered children receive a free, age-appropriate book in the mail every month from birth until age 5.
There is no income requirement.
Here in Tennessee, every county has an Imagination Library program, supported by local partners and the Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation.
In Middle Tennessee, the scale is impressive.
United Way of Greater Nashville reported that its Imagination Library of Middle Tennessee served 50,481 children in 2025 and distributed 510,768 books that year. Davidson County alone accounted for 31,353 children served.
Those numbers help explain why Give Like Dolly Day matters locally.
This is not simply a memorial fundraiser happening somewhere else. Nashville children are already opening these books at kitchen tables, in bedrooms and on couches across Davidson County.
Why Give Like Dolly Day Was Created
The Dollywood Foundation announced the new day on Sept. 14.
The foundation says the goal is to support the thousands of local organizations that make the Imagination Library work in their communities. Those groups help raise money, enroll families and keep the program operating at the local level.
That local piece is easy to miss.
Dolly Parton may be the famous name on the front of the program, but an enormous network of community organizations does the everyday work behind it.
In Davidson County, the sponsoring organization listed by Tennessee’s Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation is United Way of Greater Nashville.
Give Like Dolly Day is designed to send attention — and donations — toward organizations like that.
People can donate to their local Imagination Library program, spread the word about the program, read with children or encourage businesses and community groups to support early literacy.
Dolly’s Literacy Work Has an Even Bigger Nashville Connection
Parton’s commitment to reading did not stop with the books arriving in mailboxes.
Nashville Public Library says the Dollywood Foundation gave $4.5 million in 2024 to support the library’s Begin Bright initiative.
The project is bringing small libraries filled with Imagination Library books into child care centers across Davidson County, along with resources designed to help teachers use those books with young children.
That is a major piece of Parton’s Nashville legacy that can get overshadowed by the rhinestones, hit records and celebrity stories.
Her name is attached to country music landmarks around town, but it is also attached to picture books being read to preschoolers.
For a city that built much of its identity around songwriters and storytelling, that seems especially fitting.
More Than 30 Years of Books
The Imagination Library celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2025.
By 2026, Nashville Public Library reported that the program had mailed more than 300 million books to children around the world.
The program has also grown far beyond Tennessee.
But Tennessee remains central to its story. Parton created the program in Sevier County after being inspired in part by her father, who struggled with reading and writing.
That personal beginning helps explain why literacy became such a lasting part of her charitable work.
Music could make Dolly Parton famous around the world.
Books gave her another way to reach families one home at a time.
Nashville Families Can Sign Up, Too
Parents in Nashville do not have to wait for Give Like Dolly Day to take part in the program.
Children in Tennessee from birth through age 5 are eligible for Imagination Library books, regardless of family income. Nashville Public Library also directs local families with children younger than 5 to enroll in the program.
That means a baby can potentially build a surprisingly large home library before kindergarten simply by staying enrolled.
And the books arrive addressed to the child.
That small detail matters. A book showing up with your own name on it can feel very different from a book pulled off a classroom shelf.
A recent United Way of Greater Nashville story described that excitement through a Nashville family whose 3-year-old daughter looks forward to the books arriving specifically for her.
A Different Kind of Dolly Tribute
Nashville will have no shortage of large public tributes to Dolly Parton.
A live two-hour CMA television celebration is already planned for Oct. 21 at Belmont University’s Fisher Center, with proceeds from that event also benefiting the Imagination Library.
But Give Like Dolly Day operates on a much smaller level.
There is no need for an arena ticket.
No red carpet.
No television cameras.
The idea is simply to help another child get another book.
That may be one of the clearest ways Nashville can carry forward the part of Dolly Parton’s legacy that existed away from the stage.
On Sept. 25, people around the world will be invited to “give like Dolly.”
Here in Nashville, we do not have to look very far to see where those gifts can go.
Sources
The Dollywood Foundation — announcement of the first Give Like Dolly Day on Sept. 25 and information about supporting local Imagination Library partners.
United Way of Greater Nashville — 2025 Imagination Library of Middle Tennessee data, including children served and books distributed in Davidson, Williamson and Sumner counties.
Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation — Tennessee Imagination Library local-partner information, including United Way of Greater Nashville as the Davidson County sponsoring organization.
Nashville Public Library — information about Parton’s early-literacy legacy, the $4.5 million Dollywood Foundation gift and Nashville’s Begin Bright initiative.
Dolly Parton official website — history and milestones of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
