>> From the Library of
Congress in Washington, D.C.
>> We are here at the Library
of Congress today celebrating
a really remarkable milestone,
100 million books that
have been given away
by the Imagination Library.
Can you share with us the
story about your incentive
for beginning this program?
>> Dolly Parton: Well,
first of all, I'm very --
very excited about being here
at the Library of Congress
and knowing that I have a
little book that's going
to go there forever
that's celebrating our 100
millionth book.
But, the actual beginning of the
Imagination Library was based
on my own life, and my
own dad who was not able
to read nor write,
but one the smarter
that one would ever
want to know.
And daddy got to live long
enough to see it, again,
to takeoff and do good.
And to hear the kids
call me the book lady,
he got such a kick out of that.
But, daddy took a
lot of pride in this,
and I wanted to make
my dad proud.
I wanted to honor him
because of his goodness,
and his willingness,
and his love
for all his kids,
there's 12 of us.
And so, daddy just worked
hard, and it was just --
it made me feel good in my heart
that I could do something
to make daddy proud.
And the bigger it gets, the
more I think about my dad,
and to think he must be up
there somewhere thinking,
"Yeah, you go.
You go, you did it."
So, anyway I'm proud.
And The Little Coat of Many
Colors is a story, a true story
from my childhood about a little
coat my mother made for me.
So, today I got to honor
my daddy and my mother
by having the little that
she had told that inspired me
to write the song about
a little raggedy coat.
She told the story from
the bible when she made
that little coat
for me in real life.
And so, it was just -- today
was -- it was real special,
because of mom, dad, and
the 100 millionth book.
>> They must be so proud.
Have you've thought about how
many children you've impacted
with this program?
It's so remarkable.
>> Dolly Parton: Well,
it makes me feel good
to hear all the little stories
from all the kids
that I -- they say.
That I've touched, all
the little letters I get,
letters from the
kids, and the things
that all the kids have to say.
Some of the kids when they're
six years old I get letters,
because they're really
disappointed that they're not
in the program anymore.
They're not getting their
books, because it stops
when they start kindergarten
when they're five, so it's cute.
And then, through the
years, see we've been --
for 23 years we've had
this program going,
but it's only been in the last
several years is it's done
so great.
But, the fact that we have
kids that are in college now,
or kids that are married
and have little kids
of their own now, it's
really amazing to, you know,
to get a letter from
somebody like that.
And to say, you know,
what it has meant to them,
or what it's meaning to
their little bitty kids.
>> They are Imagination
Library graduates.
>> Dolly Parton: Yeah, they are.
>> In 2011, you expanded
the program to include audio
and braille books as well,
why was that an important
step to take?
>> Dolly Parton: We felt that
it was important for audio
and for the braille, because
there's so many children
out there that are so different.
And that's one of the
things in the Little Coat
of Many Colors book talking
about the difference in people.
And the anti-bullying,
or just accepting
that everybody is not the same.
So, accept each other as
we are, and who we are.
But, it really -- I think we
will grow through the years,
and with all the --
this day in time,
with all the social
media I'm sure we'll have
to make all sorts of changes.
But, I'm always hoping
that we can have some --
the little physical books that
they can hold in their hand,
and they can actually
get through the mail.
But, time will tell, but
we'll grow with the times.
>> One of the announcements
today is about a collaboration
with the Library of Congress,
and the Imagination Library
to hold story time for children.
What do you think it says to
the children around the nation
that the National Library --
the Congressional Library
has programs for them?
>> Dolly Parton: I think that
should mean a lot to children.
I really think to have
a program like that
where they feel special,
they're made to feel special,
and they think -- I think they
take a lot of pride in anything.
I think children
take pride in anybody
that makes them feel special.
I think it gives
them a confidence.
I think it instills
a pride in them
that they carry their
whole lives.
And plus, I think it's
a wonderful program,
I think it also has a whole lot
of children to be, of course,
and they can share, you
know, a common dream
and a common thing -- or theme.
And so, I think that
it's a wonderful thing
that they're doing, I think
it'll just make the children
even more special
and more complete.
>> Like owning their own books.
>> Dolly Parton: Like owning
their own books, yeah.
>> I wanted to shift gears and
ask you just a couple questions
about one of the other
wonderful legacies
of your life of song writing.
The unit -- the U.S. Copy Write
Office is here at the library.
You've been writing songs
for so many decades,
and we did some homework,
and found one
of your earliest registrations,
It's Sure Going to Hurt by you
and your uncle Bill Owens.
>> Dolly Parton: Yes.
>> What does copywrite
mean to song writers?
>> Dolly Parton:
Well, it feels --
it makes you feel like that
you've -- what you do, your art,
your work is being
recognized and being protected.
I remember I started writing
for BMI Broadcasting Music,
I've always been with them, when
I was really -- really young.
That particular copywrite
you're talking about,
I think I was 15 maybe
when -- 14 or 15.
I was probably 14 when I
wrote it, 15 when it came
out as a record, It May Not
Kill Me, but It's Sure Going
to Hurt was the whole
them, It's Sure Going
to Hurt was the title.
But, when I -- they actually
shared that with me today,
they brought some of the
things out and let me see them.
And it was just amazing to
think that all these years,
and going back that far in
time, and it made me feel
like an old fossil in a way.
But, I mean, I feel --
I've often said that I'm --
I feel like I'm as
old as yesterday,
but as new as tomorrow.
And to think that they had
all that stuff from back then,
and now here I am, you know,
still doing good
things in the world.
And doing -- hopefully trying
to continue to do good things
to uplift people, and mankind,
and to glorify God,
you know, in my way.
So, I just really -- you
know, it's been a journey,
and it's been one that I've
tried to stay on course with.
I've tried never to waiver,
I mean, I love to branch out
and do different things, but
I've always kept, you know,
kept straight to more to my
music than anything else.
Because out of a song,
it's carried me everywhere,
carried me out of the
Smokies, it's brought me her
to Library of Congress.
My little story of Many Colors
and the little book,
and the song.
So, its' been a wonderful life.
>> Well, speaking of that
song, the Library in 2011,
added that song to the
National Recording Registry,
which is the congressionally
created program
to recognize the most
important sound recordings
in our nation's history.
>> Dolly Parton: Wow.
>> What did the recognition
mean to you?
>> Dolly Parton: It meant a lot,
and one of the things I'm proud
of still about The Little
Coat of Many Colors,
because at that time,
you never think
about those things of course.
Because ma 'ma had just made
that little coat out of scraps
and I needed the coat.
In order to make me feel
proud and not ashamed
that I was having to
wear rags and scraps,
she told me the story
from the bible, the --
little Joseph's coat
of many colors.
Then as years went
by it became a hit,
it really healed
a lot of people.
People related to it, because so
many people had been made fun of
or laughed at, or made to feel
less over it's being, you know,
a handicap or overweight,
or just anything that --
or whatever it may be.
But this little book addresses
the difference in people.
It's about love, it's more
than a song, it's a philosophy,
it's an attitude,
it's about acceptance.
And now in schools they teach a
lot of - from this little Coat
of Many Colors book, my --
the original one, and the song
when we first illustrated
the song.
And it's -- really
talks about bullying
and just how it's not --
that's not a good thing.
And when I did a
children's album this year,
all the money going to
the Imagination Library.
A lot of the songs based
on some of the books
from the Imagination Library,
but I did directly
address the bullying.
There's a song called Making
Funny -- Funny, and it's like,
how would you feel if
this happened to you?
So, through that little book,
The Coat of Many Colors,
and how that little book
has meant so much to so many
through the years,
the song and the book,
and what it teaches children,
makes me feel very proud.
And I know -- I know
my dad's proud
of the Imagination Library,
and the 100 million books,
but I know my mom
is just as proud
of The Little Coat
of Many Colors.
So, this is -- this is a great
honor for me for my parents.
>> What a great honor to have
you here with us at the Library.
Thank you so much.
>> Dolly Parton: Well,
thank you very much.
>> This has been presentation
of the Library of Congress.
Visit us at loc.gov.