<BillNo> <Sponsor>
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 50
By Massey
SJR0050
002416
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A RESOLUTION to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Dolly
Parton's Imagination Library.
WHEREAS, in 1995, country music legend Dolly Parton founded the Imagination Library
in her native Sevier County, Tennessee, to fulfill her dream of helping children fall in love with
books and reading; and
WHEREAS, thirty years later, we are celebrating an innovative program that has
motivated thousands of children nationwide to identify as readers and build their own personal
library of books; and
WHEREAS, inspired by the memory of her father, whose reading skills were limited,
Dolly Parton launched Imagination Library by gifting age-appropriate books each month to
nearly 2,000 local children from birth to age five; and
WHEREAS, in 2004, then-Governor Phil Bredesen partnered with the Imagination
Library and expanded the program statewide; today, Imagination Library ships books to children
in all fifty states, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland; and
WHEREAS, more than 260 million books have been gifted by Imagination Library to
date, and the program continues to grow; and
WHEREAS, Dolly Parton has earned the affectionate sobriquet "The Book Lady" from a
legion of grateful young readers, and Imagination Library remains the brightest star in her
shining legacy of philanthropy; and
WHEREAS, her inspired efforts to promote children's literacy and education through
Imagination Library have reaped huge dividends, as a study has shown that children who are
participants of the program are better prepared for kindergarten and score significantly higher
on reading comprehension and vocabulary assessments; and
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WHEREAS, Dolly Parton is one of our most beloved daughters, and through her
compassionate spirit and philanthropy, she has touched not only the lives of her fellow
Tennesseans, but also millions of lives around the world; and
WHEREAS, through Imagination Library, Dolly Parton has contributed greatly to
education and literacy by giving a truly great gift to thousands of children, a lifelong love of
reading; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, that we celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Dolly
Parton's Imagination Library, a gift from the heart that continues to positively influence children
the world over, and thank Dolly Parton for this and her many other philanthropic contributions to
society, paying tribute to her generosity in helping others.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared
for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy and upon proper request made to
the appropriate clerk, the language appearing immediately following the State seal appear
without House or Senate designation.