My Journey into Librarianship: Embracing Media, Community, and Discovery at MLC

Hi, I’m McKenzie Haggard, a recent graduate of Belhaven University, and currently serving as the Social Media Coordinator for MLC. Coming from a creative background, I’ve always known that I wanted to pursue a career in media. Whether it was writing, content creation, or social media management, I felt a strong pull toward the world of communication and storytelling. After graduating, I was eager to dive into my career and find a role that would help me hone my skills and bring my passions to life. That’s when I stumbled upon MLC.

Thankful for Libraries

We've rushed through the first months of the year at breakneck speed and now 2024's last days are dwindling away. With shorter, cooler days ahead and the holidays around the corner, it's the perfect time to focus on the important things in life, like the people we love and the things that bring us joy. While libraries might not necessarily be at the top of your "thankful for" list, they're wholesome, community-driven institutions that provide loads of enriching and educational services for nearly everyone. Back in 2013, a PEW report found that 94% of those polled believed that public libraries "improved the quality of life in a community". Moreover, 81% said that public libraries provided "many services people would have a hard time finding elsewhere". What's more to be grateful for? Check out what Mississippi Library Commission staff had to say below.

A Stack, an Omnibus, A Veritable Repository

What do you call a group of librarians? While there's no official name, a large congress of librarians descended on the town of Natchez last week for the annual Mississippi Library Association (MLA) conference. MLA was officially organized 115 years ago on October 29, 1909 and is even older than the Mississippi Library Commission (MLC). (FYI: MLC was created 17 years later in 1926.) You may be wondering what a collection of librarians does at a librarian conference. Shelve your thoughts of rooms of quiet readers shushing one another and let me share the highlights of last week's memorable meeting.

Support Your Library with a Snapshot!

Have you ever wondered what goes on at your local public library? Do you wish you could support them more, but just can't seem to find the time? Snapshot Day, a yearly celebration of the power of Mississippi libraries, is the perfect opportunity for you to explore.

Adventure Begins At Your Library

Welcome to a summer of fun at your local Mississippi public library! Mississippi participates in the annual Collaborative Summer Library Program, a national program that allows our libraries to pool their resources on a joint theme. It makes planning and implementing a summer of reading fun just that much easier. 2024's theme is "Adventure Begins at Your Library" and even though it's not officially summer yet (two days left!), this library celebration has already begun. Here are just a few of the amazing things going on at libraries across the state this summer, because if you haven't visited lately, you really oughtta.

Total Eclipse of the Sun

Hear ye, hear ye! There is a total solar eclipse happening on April 8th, 2024, the last total eclipse for 20 years. According to timeanddate.com, Jackson, Mississippi, will experience approximately 90% totality at 1:52 p.m. In celebration of this momentous occasion, I wanted to share what MLC has done to help public libraries, and therefore all Mississippians, enjoy this event. 

The WPA Files: Fewer Aliens, More Gossip

Have you ever wanted to learn more about your town? Do you like gossip and facts about trees? You need to check out the WPA files! WPA stands for Works Progress Administration, which was organized as part of the New Deal to provide jobs for unemployed Americans during the Great Depression. One of the projects of the WPA was to gather local histories by going into each county, interviewing the residents, and compiling research. MLC has files for all of Mississippi’s counties except for Sharkey and Wilkinson. The source material for these files can be found at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. 

I Am Woman, Hear Me Write

It's Women's History Month. Quick! Name your favorite female Mississippi author!

There are a slew of wonderfully talented authoresses hailing from our great state and they have written (and continue to write!) in a number of genres: romance, mystery, biography, and more. Whatever your preferred reading style is, these women have covered it. Sometimes, though, it feels like they're overshadowed by the Faulkners and Grishams in the state. According to an article published by the website Quartz, only 18% of published authors in the 1960s were women. Fast-forward sixty years to 2020--a new study proclaims that women have surpassed men in book field, now publishing more than 50% of the written word. Whether or not this study was sound methodologically, it points to the fact that women writers in Mississippi and world-wide have come a long, long way.

A Very Mississippi Fourth

Elisabeth Scott

Reference and Social Media Librarian

When talking about William Faulkner and Willie Morris in his book A Place Like Mississippi, W. Ralph Eubanks says, "If you can find where the past and the present intersect within Mississippi, you can indeed understand the world." I have lived in other states and other countries, but I keep coming home to Mississippi. It is a place that is uniquely itself and yet, somehow, the essence of life in the United States. When our nation got its start 247 years ago, Mississippi wasn't even a territory. We have grown together with our sister states as America has grown, year by year, century by century. Mississippi is a microcosm of the United States: a distillation of all that is good and bad about the land we all love. This Fourth of July, let's celebrate with some books from MLC's collection that showcase the food, fun, and music of the Magnolia State that are reflected in our nation's culture as a whole.

Join Us at MLC!

Elisabeth Scott

Reference and Social Media Librarian

Have you ever dreamed of working at a library? Don't miss this opportunity to work at the Mississippi Library Commission (MLC)!

Our mission is strengthening and enhancing libraries and library services for all Mississippians, through leadership, advocacy, and service. Our award-winning facility is located at the Research and Development Center in Jackson, just off Lakeland Drive and Ridgewood Road. We are home to the Mississippi Center for the Book, a Patent and Trademark Resource Center, and the Mississippi Talking Book Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. We also offer extensive reference and interlibrary loan services for Mississippians and library consulting services and network services for libraries and librarians across the state.

We currently have four openings in the following departments: Talking Book Services, Operation Services, Library Services, and Technology Services. Applications must be made through the Mississippi State Personnel Board.

• Librarian I
  Closes August 23, 2022
  
• Maintenance/Grounds Manager
  Closes August 30, 2022
• Librarian III
  Closes September 5, 2022
  
• Client Support Technician II
  Closes September 7, 2022

We can't wait to add you to our team. Apply today!

Congratulations, Friends!

Lacy Ellinwood

Lead Library Consultant

The Friends of Mississippi Libraries Inc. is pleased to announce the 2022 Margaret Murray Grant recipients. There were 12 applications this year and very competitive for the reviewers. The Friends of Mississippi Libraries, Inc. would like to thank everyone that applied. The next Margaret Murray grant cycle will open in October 2022. Please join us in congratulating these local Friends groups. 

 

Friends of the Greenwood-Leflore Public Library System:

The funds acquired through the Margaret Murray Grant will be used in the library’s efforts to create and maintain a collection and programming for the Spanish-speaking community of Greenwood, Mississippi. The bulk of the money will go towards buying bilingual and Spanish-language materials with the remainder used to acquire necessary materials for programs specific to the Spanish-language community, such as a Bilingual Storytime. The library noted an increase in Spanish-speaking patrons at the library, highlighting the lack of resources for non-English speakers, and amplified the importance of providing services for them through the library. 

 

Friends of the Lexington Public Library, Mid-Mississippi Regional Library System:

Funds will be used to purchase a combination of 1st grade reading level books and Wonderbooks. Wonderbooks are printed books with a ready-to-play audiobook inside and include a Learning Mode to keep talking about the book children just read. Wonderbooks give children an edge with vocabulary development, phonics, and comprehension, and encourage deeper engagement with every book. Holmes County children age birth to 5 are at a poverty rate of 61.3% and are considered "high risk" in their Kindergarten Assessment scores. 

 

Friends of the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System: 

The funds will be used to bolster inclusive offerings of graphic novels and manga to library patrons. This includes manga and graphic novels by and about BIPOC individuals and those with disabilities. By diversifying the collection, it will appeal to a broader audience and benefit current program offerings to promote cultural competency development, including manga drawing practice, sampling food from various cultures represented in the collection during the Anime and Manga club, and more. The Anime and Manga Club contributed to circulation in this collection with statistics showing a 100% increase from 2020 to 2021. Graphic novels and manga have increased in popularity for their benefits to neurodivergent readers and individuals who value visuals with texts. 

Congratulations to these friends groups on the great work they're doing in Mississippi libraries. It's always a good time to join your local library friends organization, so give your library a call today and ask how to participate!

Lusia Harris, Mississippi Basketball Queen

Elisabeth Scott

Social Media and Reference Librarian

Lusia Harris
Delta State University, The Broom, 1977

 

Mississippi's queen of basketball, the one and only Luisa Harris, passed away earlier this week. She was a world-class pioneer of the sport, an Olympic medalist, and an NBA draft pick. She helped redefine how people view basketball, especially basketball played by women, and doubly so by Black women. I've always found her story inspirational: she was a force on the court and gave back to her community as a coach. She had grace under fire and she rose above the barbs people slung her way, concentrating only on basketball and her education. There aren't any biographies solely about her yet, but there are some great books about girls on the court out there that I think you should know about. Check them out at your local Mississippi public library!

 

Allie's Basketball Dream

Barbara E. Barber, author

Darryl Ligasan, illustrator

This 1996 picture book is perfect for girls who dream of playing basketball, but are either intimidated by boys who play or told they can't play because they're girls. You'll cheer for Allie when she makes her first shot. I bet Lusia would have loved this book!

Pippa Park Raises Her Game

Erin Yun, author

Imagine Great Expectations, only Pip is a Korean-American girl who loves to play basketball. That's right! Grace Yun has updated Dickens's classic in this 2020 middle grade book that is no whining--I'm looking at you, Pip--and all heart (and basketball!)

Shattering the Glass: The Remarkable History of Women's Basketball

Pamela Grundy and Susan Shackelford, authors

As this 2005 young adult book will tell you, women have been playing basketball practically since the sport was invented in 1891. If you want to explore girls playing ball, this is the book for you. Lusia Harris and her Delta State team are prominently featured in the chapter "The Fight for Title IX".

 

Full-Court Quest: The Girls from Fort Shaw Indian School Basketball Champions of the World

Linda Peavy and Ursula Smith

Did you know that a team of Native women playing basketball was one of the main attractions of the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis? While this book lacks something in the way these women and other Indigenous peoples were treated as a whole, it is a fascinating look at women playing basketball and beating the pants off men. I think Lusia Harris would approve.

Inspired to learn more about Lusia herself? Don't miss Inaugural Ballers, coming this fall. (Yes, that's Harris with her Olympic medal, fourth from the left.):

The story of the first US women's Olympic basketball team, set in the context of Title IX and the women's rights movement of the early 70s, is the subject of my next book, INAUGURAL BALLERS, coming in fall 2022 from @VikingBooks. #NBCOlympics #Olympics pic.twitter.com/Pt30BsJhir

— Andrew Maraniss (@trublu24) August 8, 2021

Star Library Status Awarded to 12 Mississippi Public Library Systems

The Mississippi Library Commission recently named 12 public library systems as Star Libraries based on their statistics for fiscal year 2019 (October 1, 2018-September 30, 2019). The library systems are separated into four categories by expenditures that they report on the annual Public Library Survey, required by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. MLC then compares libraries’ per capita rates in these four areas:

• Mississippi Measures – this is a combination of interlibrary loan use, statewide database use, number of registered users, and items withdrawn.
• Circulation per capita
• Total program attendance per capita
• Public Internet terminal uses per capita

Star Library status is decided by recognizing the three highest scoring libraries in each of the four expenditure categories. Star Library status is awarded to the following libraries for their FY19 statistics:

Under $300,000

• Noxubee County Public Library System
• Covington County Library System
• Pine Forest Regional Library System

$300,000 - $599,999

• Starkville-Oktibbeha County Public Library System
• Pearl River County Library System
• Sunflower County Library System

$600,000 - $999,999

• Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System
• Northeast Regional Library System
• Lincoln-Lawrence-Franklin Regional Library

$1,000,000 and above

• First Regional Library System
• Mid-Mississippi Regional Library System
• Jackson-George Regional Library System

The winning libraries received a certificate and a digital Star Library badge to feature on their website. Congratulations to the winning libraries!

Thank You for Being a Friend

Lacy Ellinwood

Library Development Director

To honor National Friends of Libraries Week, we wanted to highlight the winners of the Chapter One and Ruby Assaf Presidential Awards that were presented at the recent Mississippi Library Association Conference. The Chapter One Award is given to an outstanding Friends of the Library group for contributions of service to their local library. The Friends of Choctaw County Library were this year’s Chapter One awardee. This group has been quite active since their inception in 2018. Their art show in August 2019 showcased 20 local artists and attracted many visitors. Their advocacy efforts at the Mississippi State Capitol and fundraising ideas have served to bring awareness to others about the Choctaw County Library System and its outstanding services. The Ruby Assaf Presidential Award honors an exceptional volunteer in a Friends of the Library chapter. Sarah Williams, with the Tishomingo Friends of the Library, is this year’s honoree. Sarah is the Vice President for her Friends group located within the Northeast Regional Library System. Sarah’s accomplishments and contributions are immeasurable. Each year, Sarah helps with the Summer Reading Program by sharing ideas, planning, and organizing events. Sarah is a hands-on volunteer. When it comes to book sales, she unpacks books, sets up tables, and helps people with their next great find. Sarah is always coming up with ways to get new books for the children’s library and is an asset to the Tishomingo Library.

These awards highlight the importance of what Friends can do for their local library and how they connect the library to the community. There are many ways Friends can shine a light on their libraries, but here are two tips from United for Libraries on how libraries can show appreciation to their Friends. 

• Tell your local officials how important the Friends are to the ongoing success of the library. Use this opportunity to convey how the Friends raise money, promote the library, and volunteer in many ways. Submit an article to a citywide or campus-wide publication.
  
• Tell the personal story of a longtime volunteer with the Friends, the impact of Friends support on programs, services, and/or collections, or how the Friends supported the library in another way.

During this unprecedented time, we have seen many new faces using our library services. This could be an opportunity for your Friends to grow their membership. Creating online membership capabilities could broaden the Friends member base. It also serves to support the Friends from a safe and socially distance space. Friends are a great connection to our communities and their support enhances libraries across Mississippi.

High-Speed Internet Available to All Mississippi Public Libraries

Ethel Dunn

Executive Support Director

The Mississippi Library Commission (MLC) is pleased to announce that because Contract 5000 has officially been awarded to CSpire and signed by the Department of Information Technology Services (ITS), fiber internet will be available to every library in the state of Mississippi within an 18-month implementation time frame. 

 

Computer usage at Corinth Public Library in Corinth, MS

 

The change offers all public libraries in the state higher internet speeds at lower prices. Jennifer Peacock, Administrative Services Bureau Director, stated, “It is exciting to know that Mississippi will finally have high internet speeds, even in the most rural areas of the state. This will allow libraries to better serve their patrons and offer more programs to the communities they serve.” 

 

Computer usage at the Union County Public Library in New Albany, MS

In preparation for the switch, MLC staff and other state agency representatives meet each week to organize and plan the implementation. MLC is reaching out to all library systems to help prepare for the migration. When the project is complete, public libraries should see a significant decrease in cost and increase in bandwidth speeds to a minimum of 100Mbps. 

 

Computer usage at the Bay St. Louis Public Library in Bay St. Louis, MS

Currently, some libraries have slow internet speeds equivalent to dialup, which is challenging to their patrons. Sidney Cobb, Director at the Humphreys County Library System, said, “Many of our patrons do not have access to high-speed internet and WiFi other than in our library, and the increased speed of Contract 5000 will help us in our mission of digital inclusion. Some benefits from enhanced digital inclusion are improved education and employment possibilities, improved health and well-being, and networking with other resources.” 

 

Computer usage at the Dorothy J. Lowe Memorial Library in Nettleton, MS

 
The Mississippi Library Commission supports innovative programs and initiatives to strengthen and enhance library services for all Mississippians. The agency is funded by the Mississippi Legislature, with additional funding provided through the Institute of Museum and Library Services under provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). MLC offers leadership in library services, advocacy, and training for library professionals and paraprofessionals. 

 

Computer usage at Greenville Public Library in Greenville, MS

Just the Facts, Ma'am.

COVID-19

COVID-19
The coronavirus has officially made it to Mississippi, but panic is not the answer. What is COVID-19, you ask? That's a fair question. COVID stands for COronaVIrus Disease, first identified in 2019. It spreads easily from person-to-person. You can learn more about it from the CDC. Be wary of where you get your news about the virus. Fake news is real, but you can combat it by becoming a regular fact checker.

What should I do?
The thing about COVID-19 is that it isn't necessarily about keeping yourself from getting sick, but keeping other people from getting sick and the virus from spreading. This is known as flattening the curve, and social distancing is the best way to make that happen.

Lots of science-y folks are posting this graph. But if there is one thing I have learned from being on the internet, it is this:

Data/graphs: Not compelling to many.

Kitties: Compelling to many.

So I present: #Catteningthecurve.#scicomm #epitwitter pic.twitter.com/Cr1xQXMppr

— Anne Marie Darling (@amdar1ing) March 11, 2020

If you have an essential job and have to go out in public, remember to keep your hands away from your face, cover your face when you cough and/or sneeze, and wash your hands after you use the toilet, touch your face, and cough and/or sneeze.

As of this post, the Mississippi Library Commission remains open to the public. We have postponed our upcoming continuing education workshops for the month of March. Keep an eye on your public library's social media feeds as well as our own for up-to-date information.

A librarian's suggestion
This is the perfect time to catch up on your reading. Many Mississippi public libraries offer digital and audio books and magazines through services like Overdrive, hoopla, and RBdigital. Check your library's website or call them up to see what they offer. Find your library here.

You may also want to try some of those bucket list items you've been meaning to get to. Want to learn a new language? See if your library offers Mango Languages or Rosetta Stone. How about tracing your family tree? Your library may have a subscription to Ancestry or Heritage Quest.

Above all, remain calm and read on.

**********

March 13, 2020 Update!

Due to the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic, the Mississippi Library Commission will be closed to the public beginning March 16, 2020 until further notice. Please note that staff will still be available Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM, via the following methods:

Chat
Email
Facebook
Fax: 601-432-4476
Instagram
Phone: 1-800-647-7542
Text: 601-208-0868
Twitter

We will be ready to answer reference and library questions, help with Talking Books, and fill interlibrary loan and regular loan requests. You will still be able to pick up books via our new curbside service

**********

March 16, 2020 Update! 

Refer to this handy spreadsheet for Mississippi public library temporary closings due to the coronavirus: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17i8zUeLPwUXoGSW4Y3NsRmeSvNcMPHRK3XWSjQle5xs/edit

Mississippi's Star Libraries

Recently the Mississippi Library Commission (MLC) named 12 library systems as Mississippi Library Stars for FY 2018. The concept of Library Stars is based on the national professional magazine, Library Journal. The publication separates library systems into categories by expenditures that they report on the annual Public Library Statistics report that is submitted to the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The Mississippi Library Star ratings are then calculated by comparing libraries in the following areas:

• Mississippi Measures, an amalgamation of ILL, statewide database use, number of registered users, and items withdrawn. Mississippi public libraries are required to report on these items annually as part of the Mississippi Public Library System Accreditation Program since they represent nationally recognized standards in library service. Additionally, some of these measures are provided to all public libraries and do not represent a cost to individual libraries.
• Circulation per capita
• Total program attendance per capita
• Public Internet terminal uses per capita

MLC has awarded Mississippi Library Stars to the three highest-scoring library systems in each of four expenditure categories. Mississippi Library Stars go to the following libraries for their performance in Fiscal Year 2018 (October 1, 2017-September 30, 2018):

Up to $300,000 Expenditure Category

• Sharkey-Issaquena County Library System

• Marks-Quitman County Library
• Union County Library System

$300,001-$600,001

• Carnegie Public Library of Clarksdale and Coahoma County
• East Mississippi Regional Library

• Judge George Armstrong Library

$600,001-$1,000,000

• Sunflower County Library System
• Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System

• Northeast Regional Library System

$1,000,000+

• The Library of Hattiesburg, Petal, & Forrest County
• Jackson-George Regional Library System

• Lincoln-Lawrence-Franklin Regional Library System

The winning libraries received a certificate and a Mississippi Star Library star to feature on their website. Watch our social media platforms for local coverage highlights. Congratulations to the winners for all their hard work!

Holiday of a Lifetime

What do you get when two state agencies partner to host a holiday event? Holiday of a Lifetime!
The Mississippi Library Commission (MLC) recently partnered with the Mississippi Film Office (MFO) to screen the Lifetime holiday film Christmas in Mississippi at three of the state's libraries.

The partnership came about when Library Consultant Louisa Whitfield Smith brilliantly reached out to Nina Parikh with MFO to see if there was some way to show off Mississippi communities that go all out during the holidays. Christmas in Mississippi was filmed in Gulfport in 2017, and highlighted the annual event Gulfport Harbor Lights Winter Festival. Featuring an all-star cast, the feel-good Lifetime Channel holiday movie even addressed the challenges of dealing with the aftermath of a devastating hurricane and the resilience of Mississippi coastal residents. It is hoped that this partnership will serve as an opportunity to secure another Lifetime Channel holiday movie that will be filmed in the state

The three Mississippi libraries that agreed to participate were the Canton Public Library, the Laurel Jones County Library, and the Columbia-Marion County Public Library. MLC worked with library staff to create special promotional graphics, and facilitated a community question and answer time  about what makes their town special during the holidays that was held after the film screenings.

The Canton Historic Courthouse on the Square

Madison County Library System Director Tonja Johnson and her team were excited to showcase their lovely town decked out for the season. They partnered with Canton Tourism and used it as an opportunity to draw visitors into local businesses by offering discounts from participating merchants. The film was shown in beautiful Canton Historic Courthouse located on the square.

The Laurel-Jones County Library was decked out for the holidays!

A large group of kids from Laurel enjoyed the screening.

The community of Laurel has experienced a great deal of notoriety since the HGTV show Home Town began and the library has been a bustling place ever since! This booming community makes the holidays a very special time for their residents, and the library is no exception. Popcorn and warm apple cider made watching the film an even more enjoyable experience.

Showtime at the Laurel-Jones County Library

The Marion County community of Columbia was the third location for a film screening. Called the "Most Magical Christmas Town in Mississippi," Columbia goes the extra mile when it comes to getting into the holiday spirit. Train rides, ice skating rinks, and visits with Santa himself are all a part of this fun and festival holiday treat. The film was shown at the Marion Theater and a community gathering was held afterward at the Marion County Development Partnership offices.

Nina Parikh with the Mississippi Film Office capturing the beauty of Columbia all decked out for the holidays.

Special thanks to MFO for partnering with MLC to celebrate the holidays by bringing families together and to the libraries that participated in the fun and festive film screening.

A Mississippi Holiday of a Lifetime

December is here, and so is the frantic rush toward one of the biggest Christian holidays of the year. To help slow things down, give us all time to reflect on the meaning of the season, and create space to spend some special time with family, friends, and community, the Mississippi Library Commission and the Mississippi Film Office have partnered to offer a free screening of Christmas in Mississippi in three Mississippi communities. After each film screening, guests are invited to participate in some lively discussion about what makes their community special during the holidays.

This feel-good Lifetime movie, which was filmed on location in Gulfport, Mississippi, is produced by Daniel Lewis and stars Jana Kramer, Faith Ford, and Barry Bostwick, and provides holiday fun for the entire family. Three Mississippi library systems are serving as hosts for the screening along with their community partners. The dates and locations are as follows:

• December 7
  6:00pm
  Canton’s Historic Courthouse on the Square
  hosted by the Madison County Library System and Canton Tourism
  Facebook event
• December 12
  2:00pm
  Laurel-Jones County Library, 530 Commerce Street, Laurel, MS
  hosted by the Laurel-Jones County Library System
  Facebook event
• December 12
  6:00pm
  The Marion Theater, 604 Courthouse Square, Columbia, MS
  Hosted by South Mississippi Regional Library System, Columbia Main Street, Marion County Development Partnership, and the Marion Theater

The leaders of each agency were quick to share their thoughts about this important partnership that will bring families together during the holidays. Mississippi Library Commission Executive Director Hulen E. Bivins stated,

In the hustle and bustle of the holidays, many times what is lost is the human dimension of family, friendships, and associations. The Mississippi Library Commission cherishes the opportunity to, in this cooperative venture, promote the preservation of the many joys of the holidays and the joys of being Mississippians.

Nina Parikh, Director of the Mississippi Film Office added,

What a gift to partner with our friends at the Mississippi Library Commission to celebrate the holidays in communities across the state, showcasing the locations in Gulfport used in the Lifetime television movie Christmas in Mississippi.

We can't wait to see you and your community at these fun and relaxing Christmas-themed events!

A New and Improved Library Reopens in Weir

In late 2017, a new library system was formed in Mississippi. The libraries in Ackerman and Weir became part of the Choctaw County Library System. The main branch in Ackerman reopened to the public in May 2018.

On September 23, the branch in Weir held a ribbon cutting and grand re-opening celebration. MLC staff members Lacy Ellinwood, Library Development Director, and Susan Liles, Public Relations Director, made the trip to see first-hand the outstanding transformation of this library.

System Director Cristin Henson and her staff have worked diligently to ensure that the residents of Choctaw County have not had to face an extended period of time with no library services. She has worked very closely with her MLC consultant, Louisa Whitfield-Smith, on properly weeding the collection and other tasks involved in preparing the branch for serving patrons.

With greetings from Mayor Shuni Coffey and System Director Cristin Henson, the festivities got underway and everyone gathered outside for the cutting of the ribbon into the library.

Mayor Shuni Coffee welcomes patrons to the improved library.

Library System Director, Cristin Henson shares a bit of history about the library with those in attendance.

With a great deal of support from the community, these two libraries now serve the members of this county with updated materials, public access computers, and a dedicated staff. MLC is proud to support this new library system and applaud them for their dedication to serving their communities.

Library System Director Cristin Henson (left) with MLC Library Development Director Lacy Ellinwood