Keeping Dolly’s Dream Alive

One of Dolly Parton’s beloved missions was her program that puts free books in the hands of young children, and here at Marshall University, the person who leads that effort is Jamie Lima, state director of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library WV.

We sat down with Jamie to ask her about her work and her reflections of Dolly Parton’s spirit and legacy. Here’s what she had to say.

Dolly Parton has been my biggest inspiration since I was young. She inspired me to follow my dreams, and years later, she helped bring me back home.

I’ve been blessed to make a living doing what I love, and my career has come full circle, from music performance and education to leading Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library through Marshall University and the Dollywood Foundation.

Before returning to Huntington, I spent two exciting decades in the New York metro area as a School of Rock franchise owner, music educator, touring musician, and recording artist. My husband, Art, and I released an original album that was featured in Guitar World, and we continue to “rock for a cause” performing together as Fate28 at benefits and community events.

When we were considering moving home, I knew I wanted a career connected to a mission I truly believed in. I happened to explore opportunities at Marshall University just as Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library was expanding statewide in West Virginia and my position had just been created. I prayed, applied, interviewed, and it felt like God had been putting all the pieces of my life together like a puzzle, preparing me for this opportunity all along. Now I’m home, doing work I love and helping make a difference here.

Music education has always been an important part of my journey. I serve on the board of directors of Let Them Rock, a nonprofit charitable foundation, and helped bring performance-based music education to the region through an Appalachian performing arts project in 2023. Art and I also founded Tri-State Rock Academy, where we offer performance-based programming out of Music Manor, a historic home we renovated in Ashland’s Central Park district.

Our Street Team student band rehearses at the Paramount Theater and performs throughout the Tri-State, including at my Rockin’ for Reading Holly Dolly benefit concert for the Imagination Library in Charleston. I’m also excited and honored to perform the opening song at the fourth annual Women Warriors Summit hosted by Marshall University First Lady Alys Smith, where I’ll feature several of my female student musicians on stage. The song reminds us to dream big and will include a visual element as a tribute to Dolly. It’s a wonderful intersection of two things I’m passionate about: music and inspiring young people.

I believe communities thrive when we invest together in children’s futures. I often remind young people, “Don’t let where you’re from determine where you’re going.” Dreams with a plan become goals, and anything is possible when you’re willing to put in the work.

Literacy is especially personal to me. I come from a family of educators, and some of my favorite childhood memories are summers spent reading and trips to the bookstore with my mother. I loved writing my own stories as a child, and now my daughter does too. She’s an avid reader, and books have always been part of the rhythm of our family life.

I’ve seen firsthand how early literacy shapes a child’s confidence, imagination, and future. Dolly was first a musical inspiration to me, and later she became the “Book Lady” to my daughter and so many children. Bringing those two parts of my life together through the Imagination Library is special and incredibly rewarding!

I’m either on the road, at my computer, or at an event! My work is relationship-based. I develop partnerships, write grants, coordinate funding, provide support for families, manage child enrollments, plan events, and promote programming across the state.

Everyone loves Dolly, so we can really put the “fun” in fundraising. I’m always working on special projects and events that raise awareness and support for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. My goal is to ensure the program’s longevity and sustainability for future generations.

A common misconception is that Dolly Parton personally funded the entire program. The Dollywood Foundation offers reduced rates for books and postage with Penguin Random House and the USPS. Statewide programming relies on annual legislative funding as well as local county partners that help cover the cost of books and delivery.

I love my job because it has purpose. Every day, I have the opportunity to help strengthen investments in children’s futures.

I have laughed, prayed, and cried with parents, grandparents, and community partners throughout this journey. The relationships I’ve built and the stories people share make this work incredibly fulfilling and personal.

One of my favorite events was the recent Harless Hall of Fame dinner and awards ceremony at Marshall University’s Brad D. Smith Foundation Hall, celebrating 20 years of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in West Virginia. It was a beautiful and memorable evening, decorated with Dolly-pink uplighting, books and butterflies. I was honored to share the depth of the program’s reach with educators, legislators and supporters, and to present awards to former First Lady Gayle Manchin, who introduced the program to the Mountain State in 2006, and Raleigh County Commissioner Greg Duckworth on behalf of our top donor, the Raleigh County Commission.

I enjoy speaking on behalf of the program and representing the extraordinary legacy of a true legend. Sometimes I sing Dolly’s “Books” song during presentations to highlight her love for reading and learning. I especially appreciate that the Imagination Library provides a tangible, screen-free resource that creates lasting family memories centered around books.

I had the privilege of representing West Virginia at the celebration of Kentucky’s statewide expansion of Imagination Library with Dolly and the Dollywood Foundation team.

She was so little with such a big light – a real angel on earth. Being in her presence and experiencing her world was truly surreal.

I’ve spent time at her office in Sevierville, Tennessee, and even sat at her desk, where a portrait hangs of her Daddy, whose inability to read and write inspired the creation of her Imagination Library. Dolly has shared that he was just as proud of her for being known as the “Book Lady” as he was of her music stardom and any gold records.

Dolly remains such a positive force because she encouraged people to be unapologetically themselves.

One of my favorite Dolly quotes is, “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” Self-expression is empowering, and that mindset has stayed with me throughout my life, especially as a performer and educator.

For more than 20 years, I’ve worked with young people, and some have told me that I’ve been an inspiration to them to embrace their unique individuality and pursue their dreams. That means so much to me. I strive to encourage others to shine their light brightly and carry that spirit forward in honor of Dolly.

I love how Dolly brought people together. She reminded us to lead with kindness, avoid judging others, and extend grace to ourselves and those around us.

Her mission has always been about serving others, creating opportunities, and bringing light into the world. Through her music, philanthropy, and example, she inspired people to dream big, give generously, and believe that one person really can make a difference.

The best way we can carry her values forward is by investing in our children and communities, supporting one another and helping the next generation. Together, the seeds we’re planting through literacy and education will continue to grow for years to come, and I am grateful to be part of that work.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book-gifting program for children from birth to age 5, providing a free, age-appropriate book every month regardless of a family’s income or background. “The Little Engine That Could,” the first title in the 60-book collection, is often a child’s first piece of mail.

Research shows that children enrolled in the program demonstrate increased school readiness, stronger family engagement, improved long-term academic outcomes, and higher rates of educational success.

The university’s June Harless Center, housed within Marshall’s College of Education and Professional Development, serves as the official statewide nonprofit partner of the Dollywood Foundation and works in collaboration with the West Virginia Department of Education.

My position is managed through the June Harless Center with support from the Dollywood Foundation. Together, we administer statewide programming and enrollments, manage legislative funding, secure county partnerships, and raise funds to sustain the enrollment of approximately 50,000 children each year.

To learn more, enroll a child, or support the program, visit DollyBooksWV.com
You can also follow Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of West Virginia and Tri-State Rock Academy on Facebook.