>> From the Library of
Congress in Washington DC. >> Good morning! morning! Good morning! (Applause.) Good morning! And welcome to a very, very
special day at the Library of Congress, I'm Carla Hayden and I can't tell you
how excited we are because today we are celebrating
literacy and learning and reading and we couldn't
ask for a better person and organization to
collaborate with today. Today our special guest is an
advocate for books and the power of the written word
for children. We are honored to have
here at the Library of Congress multi award
win be philanthropist. Dolly Parton. I think it's time to clap! I want to and I would be remiss if I didn't introduce some
special guests in the audience, the wonderful staff
and the leadership of the Dollywood foundation,
led by Mr. David Dodson, they have been wonderful
to work with! There is Mr. Dodson. We are delighted to have
members of Congress, members of the Washington city
council, our various partners in literacy and collaborators
and our generous donors who make so much possible because today
we're all here as cheerleaders for books and learning. Now, I have to tell
you, when I started as a children's librarian
I remember being inspired by a young woman who was on
the south side of Chicago and her name was Judy Zucher
and when I first walked into that branch library she was
on the floor having story time with children with ought simple. simple. She was telling
stories and it's wonderful where imagination and
reading can take you. And today we have young
people who will join us to have fun with books! Ms. Dolly Parton has been
recognized many times for her dedication to the
power of learning and for more than two decades her imagination
library has helped hundreds of thousands of children
worldwide, giving them high-quality
books to own. own. No matter what
their family's income and in 2014 she was awarded
the Best Practices Award from the Library of
Congress Literacy Foundation so today we are pleased we
will be part of a milestone. The Imagination Library is about to give away their
100 millionth book, that's so many I could barely -- 100 millionth book
and we are humbled -- plagues applause that that
book will join with millions of others at the
Library of Congress. That book will be
given to us today. So when the foundation
started 23 years ago, the first books were distributed
to the Tennessee County where Dolly grew up and now
it is a worldwide phenomenon. So without further ado I would
like to share with you a video about the Imagination Library. [Video Plays] (Applause.) >> Now, please welcome,
multi award winning singer, song writer and philanthropist,
Ms. Dolly Parton! >> Hello! (Applause.) >> Thank you so much, hi there! Wow, hi up there! Well, it's nice to be here just
in this wonderful place, D.C. , and certainly here
in the Library of Congress what a beautiful
building you have here? >> It's been called the
most beautiful building in Washington, D.C. >> I think they're
probably right. It's a beautiful day for us
and I'm so happy and excited to be here and I was
watching the film back there on the phone they had and
I was watching all that and seeing how these
things have happened through the years
I'm proud and honored to be here today with you. >> We're honored that you're
here because as you know >> Did you want to sit? >> Would you like to sit? >> Why not? >> They've seen us and they
know, because I'm interested and I know a lot of our
guests are interested in just how all of
this got started! What inspired you
to create this? This is such a great program. >> Well actually, the whole
idea, the Imagination Library? I guess everybody has their
story and a lot of you may or may not know about
me personally, but I grew up in the smoky
mountains of east Tennessee, and I grew up in a very large
family, there were 12 of us kids and my dad was a very
hard-working man, he group up in a
family of 14 or 15 kids and my dad never had a
chance to go to school. And daddy not couldn't
read or write but he was the smartest
person that I've every known. He thought he couldn't learn
to read after he was grown, it was just one of those
things and I had the idea to do something special for
him, you know, in the Bible where it talks about honor
your father and your mother, I don't think that necessarily
means just to obey them, I think it means to bring
honor to their name if you can. So I got my daddy involved
with this little program. I wanted him to feel like he
was part of something special. So we started the
Imagination Library, where we were giving books to
the children in our home county, in Sevier County, where
we were born and raised. We hoped it would do good there. And it became such a popular
program that the governor of Tennessee at that
time thought the idea was so great they took it
all over Tennessee. Later it went on into Canada
and now we're all over the world in different parts of the world. So my dad got to live
long enough to see a lot of it come into being. He took such pride in the fact that the little kids
call me the "book lady." He was prouder of
that than anything. So it started from a true
place in my heart and it's done so much good for so many
people through the years. >> How does it feel to be
called the "book lady"? You do so much, you sing
and write and everything but you're known so
much as the "book lady. Did you ever think you
would be the "book lady"? >> No. That never crossed
my mind when I was growing up because I personally
didn't like school! I do more homework now at night
working on all these programs than I every did all the
years that I was in school. I never thought about being the
book lady, the painted lady, yes, the over-exagerrated,
overdressed lady, yes but that just goes to show
you, you can't judge a book by looking at the cover! Right? Or even the 100 Millionth
book by looking at the cover. >> That's right, you can't tell. You love books and reading, so were there books
that shaped you? You had favorite books? >> Well, we didn't have books
in our home because there were so many of us kids, and daddy
told us not to bring books home because kids just chew
on them, pee on 'em, and do whatever kids do,
so he said I can't afford to you know pay for books. So we didn't get to bring
books home but one book in our home was the Bible and
my mother used to always read from the Bible and
tell us Bible stories so that was actually the first
book that we had in our home. And the one that meant the most. It has followed me more
than any other book through my life, actually. >> And you keep reading it? >> I do. In fact
I love to read -- excuse me, I have
tissues, everywhere! I need one right now! But anyway I loved to read and I do whatever it takes you
know...but I actually loved anytime I was in school I
loved all the fairy tales, I wanted to read all the books
about the Kings and the Queens and all the traveling so books
have always been a really special thing for me. >> But with your busy schedule
how did you make time to read because you were
still performing and doing so many things? >> I always take time to read. I think for anybody
that does love to read you will find
the time to read. I do some of my best
thinking when I'm readin', if you know what I mean. I read probably at
least 52 books a year. >> Wow! >> A book a week I try to read. So I've just always been a
reader, but there is a part of my brain that kinda can think of other things while
I am actually reading but it does relax my body and
I have always loved to read because I think in books,
I think with kids, too, with the books that they read
it inspires you to dream, and if you can dream,
that leads you to success and to other things. That's why I think it's so
important to get the books in the hands of all
these special little kids so they can start early
and go late with 'em! >> And they love it. So you make time for reading. Does any of the reading help you
with some of your song writing and some of the things
that you read about? >> These are good
questions and yes, it does, because I'm really inspired
by just people in general. Just like the little
kids, a lot of things that I write I have a children's
CD out called "I believe in you" and a lot of the songs from
that were inspired by the books that are in the Imagination
Library and the Little Engine that Could is the
first book that we give out in the Imagination Library
and I think it talks about how to build confidence and
to know that you can if you think you can
so I really am inspired by just looking at
these faces today. I will feel something
or think something and who knows what idea it
might trigger in me later on to write a song about. When you write you go by
feelings and what touches you and how it touches you
and you find a clever way to put it into a song. >> You mentioned that sometimes
the books can inspire feelings and things in children
and I know that you started the
library because you believed in what books mean and
could mean to children. I know I've seen it happen
and I've felt it as a child. >> You of all people would know because you've been doing
this for how many years? You said long before you got
to this beautiful building! >> Too long! I remember the books that
inspired me when I was young and you believe that, too? >> Yeah, I do. I really think that --
we're inspired by everything and children themselves inspire
me and I'm sure they do you, that's why you wanted
to work with children. Because there is such a
world in every little child. There is a whole world and
they're going to see it and make things come true
in their little world and they're going to add to the
world as they see fit according to their talents and their
little personalities, that's why it's so important
that they learn to love books and learn to read and
be inspired by that. Because just like with my
dad, My dad couldn't read but he really was smart. He picked up on things
and he was very intuitive. It's my belief if you can read,
even if you don't have the money to go to school, you can
especially anymore -- you can find a book, if you can
read, on anything that you want to know, you can self-educate
yourself and go to college, even, you can pick up
those kinds of books even if you can't get outside your
house you can find a book on any subject and you
can educate yourself to where you can
know about things and actually just increase
your intelligence and your -- just the whole world around and you inspire other
people with that. >> And what about owning a book
and saying this is my book! It's got my name in it! >> That's what I love about
the Imagination Library because that was one of
the things we thought was so important when
we first started it. And so we wanted the little
children to have that book. They get a book for those of you
that don't know the whole thing, I guess they talked about some
of it, but children get a book from the time they're born
they get a book a month until they start kindergarten,
they're 5 years old, so we send a book in the
mail with their name on it, it's not in care of mom and dad
it's got their little name on it and they love to
think this is mine! They wait at the mailbox,
get their little book, and to them it's personal. So they're going to
take that in the house and make somebody read it to 'em because this is my
stuff, my stuff, my stuff! (Laughter.) >> So I think that has
been a real important thing because they also share
it with other kids. We're so happy we're
such a part of that and of all the things
I have done in my life and it's been a lot, because
I've been around a long time but this is one of the
most precious things and the proudest I
am of any program that I've ever been involved in in my life is working
with the little kids. >> And you should be, because
after getting a book a month they're going to have
their own little library. >> Yeah, they do. >> In their houses, this will
be their library and their books and they can pull 'em out. >> And they love that. They love sharing
that with kids. >> You mentioned, though,
that sometimes you get letters that talk about what happens after they're not
in the program. >> Yeah, actually we get a lot
of letters when the kids are in the program, we get letters
all the time from parents and kids, but some of the
sweetest letters we get -- in fact I'll never forget
the first one I got was from a little boy
that had graduated from the Imagination
Library, he was 6 years old and he was bummed out about it! He was really mad
because he just wanted me to continue to send him books! He thought this is just not
fair, this is just not right that I can't continue
to get my books! That's how important
it is to them. I wrote him back a sweet letter
and explained how we do it and that's why -- he
was being prepared because he was using his
mind to think about all that! We get a lot of sweet letters and we treasure every
one of them. >> And then he can
get a library card. >> Yeah! (Chuckles.) >> Did you ever think
you would get to 100 million books
when you started. I mean that's phenomenal! >> Not when we started. Like I said, it was a very
personal thing when we started and I just hoped it would
do good in in our county, and then as I mentioned it
just grew and grew but at that time it was something
I was doing for my dad and the kids in our home county. But thank the Lord, he was good! And now we've got David
Dodson who is the President of the Imagination Library, stand up there for
a second, David! (Applause.) He works so hard and he makes me
look really good, I take a lot of credit for a lot
of work that David and all these wonderful folks at
the Imagination Library they do. He travels all over
the world making sure that all these wonderful
things happen, making sure that all the things
that we brag about can happen. I just get out and talk about it
and do my part but it's always like that with anything
that you're proud of! It takes a whole bunch of
people to make things happen and we owe the real thing to the
communities and all the people that participate,
all the organizations that really get involved
and they're really the ones that are making my
dreams come true. It's just one of those things that everybody takes
a lot of pride in. Because if you're
doing something with children how can you
not feel good about that! Look at 'em? Hi there! Hello! So, anyway, it's a good
feeling all around, it's a win-win as they say. >> As I said, at the
beginning, we are so honored that the 100 millionth book
will be given to the Library of Congress for our youngsters. >> We have an unveiling -- >> I want to say how
honored I am before we pull that little thing up that
you have taken this to heart and that you have taken this in and that we will
now have this book that I can actually
have here forever for all the little children
all over the world certainly in the United States
of America here in D.C. It's a wonderful
place to have this. Hopefully through the years we
have 100 million books so far and maybe we will be back
for our billionth book, wouldn't that be nice! You want to see what's
under there? >> It's a beautiful story,
there it is, 100 millionth book! >> This is the coat
of many colors which is a little story
-- this lady right here, let me mention her name, this
is -- what's your name again? (Laughter.) >> This is the person who drew >> Yeah, she illustrated
this book and we appreciate your
name is Brook Hughes and she illustrated
this and I hope you had as much fun drawing this
as I did writing it. >> I did, it was an honor
to be part of the project and I loved getting to
illustrate your beautiful song. >> Everybody loves it, this
song is important to me because my mother -- I
was talking about my dad, my dad was so very important
but my mother to have 12 kids and make 'em all feel
special with no money, she had all the love
in the world and it's about the little story about -- she told me the story
about Joseph and the coat of many colors when she was
making me a little raggedy coat that I really needed because
it was getting wintertime and I needed it. So made that and she
just had the foresight to give me some pride in it. To tell me the story about
the coat of many colors so this book is more than a
story and it's more than a song, it's about love,
it's about attitude, and actually it's turned out
to be an antibullying book. They use this in some classrooms
to talk about antibullying, and I want kids to
know it is okay for you to be how you are
and who you are. It's good to be different. We can't all be the
same but we have we have to love the differences and accept the differences
in each other too. So that's kind of what
this little book is about. It's just about love
and understanding. Thank you. >> And thank you. I see you have the coat here. >> This little coat is a
replica of the little coat that my mom made for me
because momma used to - people used to send us big boxes
of scraps because momma used to make all our clothes
and the quilts for our bed and the curtains
for our windows, and she usually made
them out of scraps that people would send to us. This little coat, she just
didn't have enough of one fabric to make me a coat so that's
why she used the pieces and that inspired her to tell
me the story from the bible. So that's what this
coat -- we actually -- this coat, that little song and
the story has lived forever, we even had a couple of movies
on TV about the little coat and it got good ratings, so
it really shows people are about family and they are about
love and it's good to feel that warmth and that love
about parents because this day and time we don't have
enough family stuff, there is so much stuff going on
out there that little kids -- I love being able to touch
the kids and tell them stories and for them to feel what
it was like back then but it's really how it should
be now as far as the love and acceptance and understanding
of not only just others but your parents as well. >> Well, we have also
a special announcement. The Library of Congress
is partnering with the Imagination Library
and to celebrate the program and what we are doing, the last
Friday in every month is going to be a special Imagination
Library story time. >> Yay! >> And they will be available
and it will be live streamed to libraries throughout
the country so people can participate. We are delighted that you
have agreed to kick it off and actually read right here and start the Imagination
Library story time at the Library of Congress. >> Well I can do that. I guess you want me to I guess
you want me to read the coat of many colors book, right? >> And we would love for
you to read this book! >> Are we going down? >> I think we're going
to go down because -- >> Is there a chair there? Oh, they're going to have me
come down there, so I will be -- you be careful, hold on to
me and I'll hold on to him. Okay. Hello! Hello! Hello! Hello kiddies! You want me to read
a book to you? You do? Well I'm gonna! I gotta get my book lady
glasses on though so I can see! How's that? Do I look like the
book lady now? Hi. This is called --
it says Dolly Parton, that's my name and
what's your name? Nice to see you, Sammy. This says "coat of many colors" and it's got the little
girl that's supposed to me when I little wearing
her coat of many colors. Let me find my real page here. So it starts with all these
pretty pictures of my mom and my dad and my pretty
pictures of my mom and my dad and brothers and So it starts
with all these my brothers and sisters in here so this says "Back through the years I
go wanderin' once again back to the seasons of my youth. I recall a box of rags
that someone gave us and how my momma put
those rags to use. There were rags of many colors
but every piece was small. I didn't have a coat and it
was way down in the fall. So momma sewed the rags
together, she sewed every piece with love and made my
coat of many colors that I was so proud of. As momma sewed she told a story
from the Bible she had read about a coat of many colors
Joseph wore and then she said, I hope this coat will bring
you good luck and happiness. And I couldn't wait to wear it, and momma blessed
it with a kiss. So with patches on my britches
and holes in both my shoes, in my coat of many colors
I hurried off to school. Just to find the others laughing
and making fun of me in my coat of many colors that
momma made for me. In my coat of many colors
that my momma made for me, made only from rags but
I wore it so proudly! Although we had no money,
I was rich as I could be, in my coat of many
colors momma made for me. So with patches my britches
and holes in both my shoes, in my coat of many colors
I hurried off to school. Just to find the others
laughing and making fun of me, in my coat of many colors
that momma made for me. And I couldn't understand that,
because I felt I was rich! I told 'em of the love
momma sewed in every stitch. I even told 'em all that story
momma told me while she sewed and why my coat of many
colors was worth more than all their clothes. But they didn't understand it
and I tried to make them see that one is only poor
only if they choose to be. It's true we had no money,
but I was rich as I could be in my coat of many
colors momma made for me. 'Cuz momma made it just for me. The end. Ta da. (Applause) Did you like that? O.K. so there's your
coat of many colors. I'm going to go back up
on stage for a minute. minute. >> O.K. So here we are >> That was so nice! >> Dr. Hayden I thought, well, I got to that part I thought
why not sing that little part in case they hadn't heard that. >> Well, not only
will the Library of Congress have the 100
million 100 millionth book, all the young people today who have heard the
story, you're going >> Well, not only
will the Library of Congress have the
100 millionth book, all the young people today
who have heard the story, you're going to get your own
copy of a "Coat of many colors >> Well, not only
will the Library of Congress have the
100 millionth book, all the young people today
who have heard the story, you're going to get your own
copy of a "Coat of many colors". >> Yes, you are! >> You can take it when
you leave and you're going to have a special CD, something
that you can play with the music and you can hear Ms.
Parton's voice, too, so we are glad you
could be here. Remember, reading is fun, so we
have Remember, reading is fun, so we have the book lady
and the library lady and a new partnership with
the Imagination Library. >> Yes, we do! Thank you, everyone! (Applause.) >> All right, are
we heading out? >> We're going to head
out and give out books. >> Thank you everybody? >> Thank you so much. >> This has been a presentation
of the Library of Congress. Visit us at loc dot gov.
