Dolly Parton, the beloved country music icon and children's literacy champion, passed away Tuesday. Her Imagination Library, a program dedicated to fostering reading among children, was honored with the Library of Congress's prestigious David M. Rubenstein Prize in the Literacy Awards.
Parton's deep connection with the Library of Congress included a 2018 visit where she donated the 100 millionth book mailed by her program. During her visit, she also read to children in the Library's Great Hall, marking one of many intersections between her life's work and the institution.