Dolly Parton visited Rotherham in December 2007 to launch the UK version of her Imagination Library, a scheme providing free books to young children. The visit, remembered after her death, mattered because it brought a high-profile advocate for reading to a former industrial town and helped make books a familiar part of family life for many local households.

During the visit, Parton met newborn Emma Jarman at Rotherham hospital before attending an event at a disused steelworks, winning over local people with her warmth and humour. The programme sent every registered child in Rotherham a book in their own name each month until age five, funded by Parton’s foundation alongside the council and other local supporters; organisers said it helped foster a stronger reading culture despite early scepticism.