WILMINGTON, Del. — The crowd of lawmakers, librarians, parents, and a few young children were enthralled as Dolly Parton’s angelic voice filled the room at the Wilmington Public Library. On stage, just feet away, Parton — clad in a multicolor vest and strumming a multicolor guitar — sang her 1971 hit “Coat of Many Colors.”
Thursday’s lunchtime serenade was part of an event for the country music icon’s Imagination Library, a book gifting program for young children.
The 76-year-old singer travels the country promoting the initiative, one of her many philanthropic endeavors. The Delaware visit came a day after it was announced that the Grammy winner would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
“I never thought of myself as a rock star,” she said Thursday with a laugh, as the audience applauded. But “I’m never prouder of anything I’ve ever accomplished than I am of the Imagination Library.”
Parton founded the Imagination Library in 1995 in her home county in Tennessee, with the hope of instilling a love of reading in young children.
“I just wanted to do something great for the kids,” said Parton, who grew up in a family of 12. “As long as I’m around, I want to make life better, especially for the kids.”
The program now sends more than one million books a month to children around the world.
Thursday’s event began with a video compilation of Delaware parents and children thanking Parton for making the program possible.
And even top state officials couldn’t contain their giddiness about the larger-than-life visitor.
“Is this cool or what?” Delaware Gov. John Carney said. “Totally cool.”
The governor and First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney gifted Parton some souvenirs to remember Delaware, including salt water taffy and a miniature Blue Hen, the mascot of the University of Delaware.
Every child in Delaware is eligible to enroll and receive free books in the mail each month from birth to age 5. Some local jurisdictions participate in Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey, but the program is not statewide.
In all, the Imagination Library has gifted more than 180 million books, and Parton said she hopes to soon reach 200 million.
