School of Journalism & Media

‘The Library That Dolly Built’ Gets Dec. 9 Online Premiere

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Dollywood and Abramorama in association with The Dollywood Foundation have partnered to present a free one-night-only live streaming world premiere event for The Library That Dolly Built, the Land Grant Films documentary about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

Originally scheduled as a nationwide live event on more than 300 screens this spring, the world premiere for The Library That Dolly Built has been reimagined as a free live stream screening of the film, exclusively on Facebook, available nationally on Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. ET. The screening will be followed by a conversation with Dolly Parton, who will also … Read more “‘The Library That Dolly Built’ Gets Dec. 9 Online Premiere”

Knox County Library Honors Geidner, ‘The Library that Dolly Built’

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Knox County Library honored journalism and electronic media associate professor Nick Geidner by presenting him with its 2020 Seeds of Imagination Award on Sept. 17 for his work on the Land Grant Films’ documentary “The Library that Dolly Built.”

This documentary takes viewers behind the scenes of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides registered children with one free book each month from when they are born to when they turn five years old.

Geidner, who directed and produced the film, has personal experience with this program.

“My oldest son got the Imagination Library books, and we just … Read more “Knox County Library Honors Geidner, ‘The Library that Dolly Built’”

Magic of ‘The Library That Dolly Built’

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Working at the Library of Congress in February 2018, the students on the Land Grant Films team began to understand that their project—a documentary about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, tied to the milestone of Parton’s giving away her 100 millionth book—was a much bigger deal than they had realized.

“We were there getting our press passes,” remembers Kayli Martin (’21), the film’s assistant producer. “I thought, ‘This is what it’s like to be a professional journalist.’”

“I had never been to the Library of Congress,” says Abby Bower (’19), a producer and the writer for the project. “The building, number

… Read more “Magic of ‘The Library That Dolly Built’”

Geidner: ‘Goodnight with Dolly’ Off to Great Start

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Goodnight Dolly

With Dolly Parton’s new 10-week bedtime-story series Goodnight with Dolly under way, the honorary UT alumna is doing her part to comfort kids all over the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s according to Associate Professor of Journalism and Electronic Media Nick Geidner, who produced and directed the documentary film The Library That Dolly Built.

“My one-and-a-half-year-old, Sam, who makes some cameos in the film, loved the first episode, especially at the end when Dolly sang ‘I Believe in You,’” Geidner said. “He loved the woo-woo-woos in the song, but I also think he loved it because it is … Read more “Geidner: ‘Goodnight with Dolly’ Off to Great Start”