BILLINGS— Billings Public Library employees honored Dolly Parton’s life and philanthropic legacy after her death Tuesday morning at 80 years old.
Visitors at the library could see a cardboard cut-out of the country singer and displays of books written by Parton.
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“When Dolly Parton died today, my first thought was to put up a book display,” said children’s librarian Allynne Ellis. “So that... those young people who don't know her can experience her.”
One part of Parton’s legacy includes Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which Parton created in 1995. The nonprofit gives one free book every month to more than three million children across five countries.
Related: Little readers in Billings celebrate 30 years of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
The program has donated more than 300 million books over its 31 years of operation.
According to United Way of Yellowstone County, the Imagination Library gives more than 50,000 books to approximately 4,700 children five years old and under in Yellowstone County annually.
Billings Public Library has promoted the program for the last three years.
“A lot of our members of our community don't have access to books in the home,” said Ellis. “Being able to have one shipped to your house every month and be able to build a personal library where children can read and develop literacy is so important.”
“Every time my kids see Dolly Parton, they get very excited because she was the one who gave them all the books,” said library specialist Tessa Howell. “She's made such a positive impact on the world.”
A Tuesday statement on social media from Imagination Library of Montana said the program has brought more than 970,000 books to children across the state since 2023.
“We are honored and privileged to play a small part in Dolly’s incredible legacy—a legacy that will continue with every book that finds its way into a child’s hands,” said the written statement from Imagination Library of Montana.
Visitors at Billings Public Library can leave sticky notes with messages for Parton on her carboard cut-out throughout the week.
