08/26/2026
“If I’m remembered 100 years from now, I hope it will be not for looks but for books.”
--Dolly Parton
Like so many others around the world, Rodman Public Library mourns the passing of country music legend Dolly Parton, who died Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at the age of 80.
Of course, Dolly will always be remembered for her signature blonde hair as well as her music and acting.
But she will also be remembered for her philanthropy – one of those endeavors being the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which for many children has been their introduction to books and the magic of written words and colorful illustrations.
The program, inspired by her father’s inability to read and write, was launched in 1995 for children within her home county in Tennessee. The 31-year-old program now spans five countries and has gifted more than 300 million books to children worldwide.
Managed by the Dollywood Foundation, the premier book-gifting program sends a new age-appropriate book to registered recipients each month from birth to the age of 5.
The idea behind the Imagination Library is that a child registered at birth will have accumulated a library of 60 books by the time he or she enters kindergarten. Most importantly, the aim is that the child will have been set on a path of lifelong reading and learning.
The program came to Ohio in 2019. Since then, nearly 26,000 children in Stark County alone have been gifted 730,000 books, according to reports in local media.
Within the 44601 ZIP code, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library is sponsored by the Greater Alliance Foundation.
For more information about Dolly Parton Imagination Library, visit
https://imaginationlibrary.com/
To register a child from the 44601 ZIP code, visit
https://www.rodmanlibrary.com/dolly-parton-faq
In addition to gifting books, Dolly Parton also wrote a few of them herself, many of which can be borrowed through Rodman Public Library.
Dolly Parton’s writing credits include:
“Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business” (1994) — her first autobiography.
“Coat of Many Colors” (1996) — a children's book based on her famous song and her childhood.
“Dolly's Dixie Fixin’s: Love, Laughter, and Lots of Good Food” (2006) — her first cookbook.
“I Am a Rainbow” (2009) — a children’s book about emotions, using the colors of the rainbow.
“Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You” (2012) — an inspirational book based on her 2009 University of Tennessee commencement address. Proceeds supported the Imagination Library.
“Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics” (2020) — a photographic book telling the stories behind her songs.
“Run, Rose, Run” (2022) — her first novel, co-written with James Patterson.
“Dolly Parton’s Billy the Kid Makes It Big” (2023) — children’s picture book.
“Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones” (2023) — a look at her iconic clothing and stage costumes.
“Dolly Parton’s Billy the Kid Comes Home for Christmas” (2024) — another Billy the Kid children’s book.
“Good Lookin’ Cookin’: A Year of Meals — A Lifetime of Family, Friends, and Food” (2024) — co-written with her sister Rachel Parton George.
“Star of the Show: My Life on Stage” (2025) — the third book in her photographic trilogy, following “Songteller” and “Behind the Seams.”
“Dolly Parton’s Billy the Kid Dances His Heart Out” (2025) — the third Billy the Kid children’s book.
