New Livestream Documentary To Highlight Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

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Dolly Parton. Photo: Rob Hoffman

The story behind Dolly Parton‘s Imagination Library will be highlighted in the free, one-night-only, livestream world premiere event The Library That Dolly Built, which will stream exclusively on Facebook on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. ET.

The screening will be followed by a conversation and live acoustic performance from Parton. Viewers can tune in to the live screening and conversation on FB.ME/dollysimaginationlibrary and ImaginationLibrary.com. In addition, the European premiere will be Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. GMT, and the Australian premiere will be Friday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. AEDT. The documentary was made possible by Dollywood and Abramorama in association with The Dollywood Foundation.

Parton created the Imagination Library in 1995 to help inspire a love of books and reading in young children; the initiative has since expanded into a global endeavor and recently gifted its 150 millionth book. The program currently sends books to 1.7 million children around the world each month. Earlier this year, Parton launched a weekly bedtime reading series, “Goodnight With Dolly,” which aired across Facebook and YouTube, earning over 15 million views. On Dec. 11, the film and the conversation with Parton will be released nationwide as a Watch Now @ Home Cinema Release, and in early 2021 across multiple digital platforms.

Parton said, “I am so excited that we can finally tell the whole story of the Imagination Library. It is certainly not just about me. Our story is the story of children, of families and communities who all share the dream to inspire kids to love to read and to love to learn. My hope is this documentary will encourage more towns, more states and even more countries to jump onboard. One thing is for sure, I think this is the best investment I have ever made!”

The Library That Dolly Built, directed and produced by journalism professor and director of Land Grant Films Nick Geidner, and narrated by Danica McKellar, goes behind the scenes of Parton’s Imagination Library, to show how one of the most famous and beloved performers in the world has partnered with thousands of local community organizations to develop an efficient and effective program for spreading the love of reading. Imagination Library started as a gift for the children in Parton’s hometown, Sevierville, Tennessee, and is now active in all 50 states, and five countries, gifting 1.7 million free, age-appropriate books to children every month. The film also provides a glimpse of the profound impact the Imagination Library has on the people through original interviews with authors, policymakers, Imagination Library staff, recipients, and the legend herself, Dolly Parton. Woven throughout the film is a biographical sketch of Parton, featuring rare photos and films from her childhood. Unlike most biographies of Parton, it doesn’t focus on her music. Instead, it demonstrates that at every point in her career, any time she has had success, Parton has come back to Sevierville to give back to her people.

Jessica Nicholson
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