Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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Dolly Parton's humble beginnings and family inspired her to start her book program, the Imagination Library, which has delivered more than 300 million free books to children around the world.

In 2013, PBS News Hour education correspondent John Merrow sat down with Parton to talk about her initiative and why exposure to books early in life is so important.

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