Dolly Parton’s’s book program is music to mums’ ears
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Tamworth has enrolled about 700 babies in a free childhood literacy program.
Harriet Dallas has recently become even more excited than usual to see the postman, as she is starting to understand that he might be carrying something for her: the monthly gift of a new book, thanks to the passion of American country music singer-songwriter Dolly Parton.
“Harriet’s at an age now where she wants to greet our mailman, and that excitement is starting to build with her that she gets a parcel,” says her mother, country music artist Ashleigh Dallas. “It brings a moment of real happiness: it’s a new thing we get to read and talk about every month.”
When she was born at Tamworth Hospital in January last year, Harriet became one of the first children in the region to join Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a free childhood literacy program that began in Parton’s home state of Tennessee in 1995 and has since distributed more than 133 million books across the US, Britain, Canada and Ireland.
About 700 newborns have joined the Tamworth program since it began a year ago. Now aged 13 months, Harriet’s library will continue to grow until she reaches her fifth birthday and 60th book.
Soon after her daughter was born, Dallas — a multiple Golden Guitar award-winning singer-songwriter with four albums to her name — was thrilled to become a community ambassador for the program.
“I was born here in Tamworth, so it makes you really proud that we have a program making many moments for families across the globe, and we have it right here in our community,” she says. “It’s really quite humbling.”
Since Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library began in Australia in 2014, the program has distributed more than 300,000 books into the homes of about 13,000 families. Currently, there are about 5400 children enrolled across 80 sites nationwide, with non-profit organisation United Way Australia facilitating the program and publisher Penguin Random House supplying the books.
Tamworth has quickly become a flagship site because of its 100 per cent uptake rate as a result of a unique partnership with Tamworth Hospital, whereby all parents of newborns are offered the opportunity to register for the program following their Statewide Infant Screening — Hearing examinations before they leave the hospital.
“Tamworth has concerning statistics in terms of development vulnerability with early communication and early literacy,” says Kelly Makepeace, early childhood literacy officer for Tamworth Regional Council. “We get about 30 registrations each week, and since Ash joined us, the awareness of the program has risen.
“Every mother that comes to baby book time, they’re all talking about Ash. They just love her: they’re very proud of her because she’s got that local connection.”
The Imagination Library was established in Australia’s country music capital thanks to Jay and Mark O’Shea, a Golden Guitar award-winning Australian country music duo who have lived in Nashville, Tennessee, since 2007.
“We were recipients of that program with both of our kids,” says Jay. “I didn’t grow up with a lot of books; it wasn’t high on the agenda with Mum and Dad. So for our kids to get the benefit of this program has been incredible. They’re both avid readers, and seeing these books arrive once a month, beautifully wrapped, is just the most amazing gift.”
Once their youngest child turned five, Jay began making inquiries about bringing the program to Tamworth, where she found that Mayor Col Murray was highly receptive to the idea.
“It made sense to start there because Tamworth is a sister city to Nashville, so there was that connection with country music as well,” says O’Shea, who recently released an album with her birth father, Midnight Oil drummer and songwriter Rob Hirst.
Since helping to establish the Imagination Library in Tamworth, O’Shea has been energised by a passion for encouraging literacy that runs alongside her work as a singer, songwriter and television presenter.
“It’s made such a massive difference in my life, and I feel like if I can pay it forward and get Australia going with it, so many people will benefit from it,” she says.
Dallas, too, has found the program to be an asset in both her public and private life. “Unfortunately our literacy rates aren’t quite as high as they should be, and I think it does start with that early childhood learning,” she says.
“As a parent, it’s a reminder for my husband and I every single month that comes to our doorstep: take time out of your day, sit and read with your child. I think we all can get lost in distractions in today’s society, so it’s an important reminder to get back to sitting down and reading a book.”
When performing, Dallas will often mention the program with pride — but the lifelong Parton fan has an ulterior motive.
“It gives me a great excuse to put a few Dolly songs in the set, as well, and have a bit of fun,” she says with a laugh. Her go-to covers? “I think you’ve got to go with those classics, 9 to 5 and Jolene. But Two Doors Down — that’s a true gem.”
Like many country musicians, Dallas grew up admiring Parton’s work as a singer, songwriter and entertainer, yet since joining as an ambassador, she has gone deeper in her research by listening to multiple podcasts about Parton’s life.
“What she’s built as her legacy is inspiring,” says Dallas. “She’s got this massive platform, yet she’s still most concerned about changing other people’s lives. As an artist myself, I’ve learned a lot from that, and I want to stay very much cemented in doing good things.”
When the postman arrives with something for her daughter from Dolly, the singer-songwriter is reminded of Parton’s growing legacy, which now extends far beyond country music and into the nuts and bolts of early childhood development. Book by book, Parton is preparing the children of today for their lives tomorrow.
Yet for Dallas, watching Harriet’s face light up at the sight of her parcel every month is a gift in itself.