LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky celebrated Dolly Parton and her Imagination Library for encouraging families to read with their children. 

Dolly Parton visited the Commonwealth and Lexington on Tuesday to mark the expansion of the Imagination Library to all 120 counties. The goal is to encourage more families to participate in the free book-gifting program. 

Kentucky First lady Britainy Beshear said Parton has been focused on giving back to the community since the start of her career.

"I think what is most important is she is an amazing human being," Britainy Beshear said. "Somebody using their light in this world to better the world is something that is absolutely incredible. She is changing lives every day. She is a role model and inspiration."

Parton, an American singer-songwriter, actress and philanthropist is known for her decades long country music career.  

The program has benefited more than 120,000 Kentucky children under five who receive free books each month.

"Anybody who is trying to make the world a better place, that inspires me," Parton said. "I want to be remembered as a person who did good things."

To receive free books from the program, visit the Imagination Library's website. There is no deadline to register for the program. 

The program is supported by a 50% state to local program funding match, which was included in the state budget and signed by Beshear in 2021.

Since launching in 1995, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has grown to include mailing more than 3 million age-appropriate books directly to children's homes each month. Her Dollywood Foundation, along with state and local partners, has gifted more than 250 million free books in the U.S., Canada, Britain, Ireland and Australia.

"It's a great way to teach children when they're very young to learn to love books and to learn to read," Parton said. "The program happened 30 years when my father was still alive. I thought my Dad was a country boy, grew up in east Tennessee and didn't get a chance to go to school. My daddy couldn't read or write, and he was always real embarrassed by that."

Each child enrolled in the program receives one book per month from birth to age 5 at no cost to the families. It has been Parton's vision to inspire a lifelong love of reading and to encourage children to "Dream more. Learn more. Care more, and be more."

"I love to do things that bring families together," Parton said. "I want to do things to keep families united."

Gov. Andy Beshear awarded Parton the honor of Kentucky Colonel.

"That's wonderful of you, I know Colonel Sanders," Parton said. "It's good to be in Kentucky, I love Kentucky, it's just up the road from us." 

For information, visit ImaginationLibrary.com.

"Andy and I wholeheartedly believe in treating everybody as your neighbor, so does Dolly," Britainy said. "Whether they live two doors down or thousands of miles away."

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