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

New Albany Library Is Far From Ordinary

MLC Library Consultant Shellie Zeigler visited the Jennie Stephens Smith Library in New Albany, MS, a few weeks ago to conduct a site visit and attend their first summer library program of the season. Union County Library System Director Sissy Bullock oversees the system that caters to 27,000 people in this northeast Mississippi county. While the library offers a great selection of books, naturally, Sissy has found new and innovative ways to involve the library in this community and the community loves it.

Union County Library System Director Sissy Bullock and MLC Library Consultant Shellie Zeigler

Tanglewood Trail, a Rails-to-Trails Conservancy project located on the old Mississippi Tennessee railroad line, runs right by the library. The library decided the community needed better access to the trail and began a bicycle checkout program. All of the bicycles were donated by local patrons and businesses and the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services donated bicycle helmets. They even have a volunteer bike mechanic! Right now, their twenty-one bikes live inside the library, but the county is building them a storage shed right behind the building.

Bicycles available for checkout at New Albany library

Safety first! Each checked out bicycle comes with a helmet.

The library has also begun participating in the local "Biscuits and Jam" Farmers' Market. They truck their little trolley down the street on market days and pass out bookmarks, library card applications, and news about upcoming events. Want to learn about their summer library program? Head to the Farmers' Market!

Little Red Library Wagon

Speaking of their Summer Library Program, Shellie said the kickoff was a lot of fun. A slew of kids turned out to see Magician Bentley Burns perform a special space-themed show and a good time was had by all. If you're near Union County, you should drop by the library for more interesting and educative programming!

Magician Bentley Burns performs for a rapt audience.

These books were purchased with money from an LSTA grant.

Shellie also noticed this display of new books about Mississippi and by Mississippi authors. The purchase of the books was made possible by an LSTA grant administered by the Mississippi Library Commission. As a MLC Library Consultant, Shellie will check in on Sissy in New Albany again in several months, but will be back sooner if she needs advice or help with any issues. For right now, we love seeing the novel ways Sissy makes this library an essential community hub.

So That All May Read

Take a moment to think about what it would be like not to being able to read. You could never lose yourself in a novel or read an autobiography on your favorite hero or heroine. Through the Mississippi Library Commission's Talking Book Services, reading for those with visual impairments or other disabilities can become a reality. MLC partners with the Library of Congress to provide Talking Book Services to Mississippians. With a wide range of popular fiction and nonfiction titles for adults, teens, and children, this free service is open for all eligible residents who are unable to read standard print due to a visual, physical, or organic reading disability.

I recently traveled with Mary Rodgers Beal, Talking Book Services Director, to the Bolden Moore Library on Wiggins Road in Jackson. The library hosts the Westside Community Senior Organization in their meeting room Monday through Friday. The group gardens, makes quilts, and accesses computers and the internet at this library. They welcomed Mary Rodgers and me with open arms and were eager to hear about the service.

Plants tended by participants of the Westside Community Senior Organization.

Quilts created by participants of the Westside Community Senior Organization.

Mary Rodgers explains Talking Book Services.

It was a great morning; I enjoyed meeting these wonderful folks and being reminded of all the wonderful things Talking Book Services does. If there is someone in your life who has difficulty reading and you want to get them started with Talking Book Services, check out the information and applications on the eligibility page on our website or call us at 1-800-446-0892.

Mary Rodgers explains Talking Book Services.

On the Road with MLC: Mid-Mississippi Regional Library System

Small towns in Mississippi are like brilliant gems. They are filled with bits of times-gone-by, but also the promise of great things to come. It is an honor for me to have the opportunity to visit such places and feel the commitments of the residents to their little community.

Recently I hit the road with Library Consultant Louisa Whitfield-Smith. Even though it was our first trip together, I knew we our library visits would be fun because we share mutual thoughts and ideas. We were headed to Mid-Mississippi Regional Library System (MMRLS) to meet with their director Josh Haidet. I visited the Kosciusko Library a year ago, but never had the opportunity to see the other twelve branches.

We started at the Attala County Library, the headquarters of the system, and Josh gave us a great tour of the library. The building is filled with light and has all the components of a great library, like a teen area, a children's area, and an outstanding genealogy department.

After a wonderful visit with several staff members, we headed to the Winston County Library in Louisville. The county seat of Winston County, Louisville has over 6,000 residents. Hard hit by a tornado in 2014 when ten residents were killed, the community has bounced back and is going strong. The library has a lovely space, an accomplished branch manager, Beth Edwards, and highly qualified staff.

Beth showed us around the library and told us about some of the neat things they do. She is a big believer in public relations (a lady after my heart) and showed us Thank You cards the children's librarian has drawn. Kids who visit the library or participate in library activities sign them. Then the library sends them to local businesses that fund programs and projects... how clever!

 
Our next stop was the Carthage Library in Leake County. This community boasts a population of over 5,000. The library has a wonderful children's area with new Playaway Launchpads purchased with funds from an Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS) LSTA grant. These easy-to-use tablets have preloaded content for kids that help them learn while they're having fun.

The final stop that day was the Walnut Grove, also located in Leake County. With a population of almost 2,000 residents, this community has a relatively new library that is incredibly cozy.

Located next to a walking track that features workout stations, this awesome library is brimming over with great books and programs for the residents of Walnut Grove. Of course, we had to take advantage of the location before heading back to Kosciusko!

I got some really great ideas from visiting Mid-Mississippi that day. They create an annual "scrapbook" at each branch that includes visitors, programs, events, and all the rest of the fun stuff going on in each library. What a great tool to share with potential funders so they can see how monies are spent! Also, each branch hosts "Souper Tuesdays"; homemade soup is made available to all patrons and the recipes are shared right along with the hot food. What a great idea for a cold, wintry day!

We have several more libraries to visit at MMRLS and we're excited for our return trip. Thanks to Josh Haidet and all the folks who made us feel so welcome!

On the Road with MLC: Jackson George Regional Library System

Creative communities have a different feel, like something exciting is about to happen at any moment. I've always gotten that feeling when I visit Ocean Springs. It is so picturesque and quaint, with its streets lined with galleries and eateries, that I get swept up in the atmosphere of the place. Recently I had the chance to travel to this lovely community with two of my colleagues, MLC Consultants Shellie Zeigler and Louisa Whitfield-Smith. We met up with Lori Barnes, Jackson-George Regional Library System Director, and several of her qualified staff at one of the charming eateries along the oak-lined main street.

After a lively discussion and a hearty lunch, we headed out to the St. Martin branch to see the new teen area funded by an Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS) LSTA grant. St. Martin is a fast-growing community in Jackson County with a population of almost 8,000. With a highly rated school system, it is the perfect community for families.

When we arrived at the St. Martin Library, we were greeted by Branch Manager Meg Henderson; she was ready to show us around her wonderful library. As we headed inside, Meg was proud to show off a community garden space filled with edible greens. What a great way to promote healthy eating habits to members of the community! The project has also allowed the library branch the opportunity to partner with the MSU Extension Service and the Pine Belt Master Gardeners.

The branch was filled with activity when we moved inside. The new teen area was easy to spot and we immediately gravitated that way. It turned out to be a fun, lively space to engage teens in reading and studying. There were computers designated for teen use, along with a table for studying that users are encouraged to use as notepads. This library tries hard to instill a love of libraries in their youth and it's definitely working!

At the back of the library, a large public computer area was filled with patrons. This is a well-used library with very knowledgeable staff who are filled with creative ideas.

With one last quick word, we made our way to the door for the ride home. Filled with a great lunch and lively conversation about all-things-library, we hit the road north for Jackson. Special thanks to Lori Barnes and all the great folks with Jackson-George Regional Library System for a perfect day. They dropped some tantalizing tidbits about programs and such going on at their other branches. We can't wait for them to invite us back for another consulting visit!

On the Road with MLC: Waynesboro

You've heard of the term "a force of nature." I've met a few of these dynamic folks in my time, and one of them is Patsy Brewer, the Director of the Waynesboro/Wayne County Library System. Patsy made an impression on me the first time we met. She has dynamic ideas and is constantly coming up with new and innovative ways to promote and celebrate her library and community.

Nestled on the southeastern border of the state, Waynesboro has a population of about 5,000 citizens.  The county seat of Wayne County, Waynesboro is a picturesque little Mississippi community. The library's story began in 1934, and since that time it has lived in several locations throughout the community. In 2003, the library opened its doors in its current location... a former Walmart building weighing in at a whopping 17,000 square feet.

With that much space, the library could potentially feel cold and cavernous, but instead, it is extremely warm and welcoming. The very active Friends of the Library group even manages a small gift shop and bookstore on the premises, boasting an array of really cute items to tempt even the most penny-pinching of shoppers. What an outstanding way to raise funds for the library!

  

My travel companion, Library Consultant Shellie Zeigler, and I didn't realize we were going to visit on the day of the library's annual holiday fund-raiser, but it turned out to be perfect timing! Most of the community was in attendance and it was easy to see the support they bestow on their hometown library. The Friends served delicious food and local music students performed, putting everyone in the holiday spirit.

After we toured the library, Shellie and I checked out a new program the library has implemented to promote literacy in the community. "Laundry & Literacy" is funded by the Margaret Murray Literacy Grant and the Waynesboro-Wayne County Friends of the Library. Spanish materials were also purchased with funds from First Book. The library's partnership with local laundromats makes reading materials available to the users of all ages of these facilities. What a new and fresh idea to make free reading materials readily available to more residents!

I would like to give special thanks to Patsy Brewer and her staff for inviting us to this wonderful holiday event. They're doing outstanding work for the citizens of this special corner of the state of Mississippi and I'll definitely be going back for another visit soon.

On the Road with MLC: Lincoln, Lawrence, and Franklin Counties

Shellie Zeigler
Mississippi Library Commission
Library Consultant

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Lincoln-Lawrence-Franklin Regional Library System with Susan Liles, MLC's Public Relations Director. Our first stop was the headquarters library in Brookhaven. I was immediately struck by the gorgeous mid-century modern architecture and furnishings. The library is bright, open, and very welcoming. They even offer free coffee to their patrons, and for those who know me, this won my heart! The Friends of the Library were busy decorating holiday trees during my visit. Assistant Director Katrina Castelaw gave us a tour of this wonderful library. There was a new art exhibit area in the front lobby that included pieces loaned from the collection of local artist J. Kim Sessums, as well as a piece by Stephen Scott Young the library was able to purchase with funds acquired through the Mississippi Arts Commission's Dille Fund for Visual Art Acquisition. The adult reading area was appointed with four large overstuffed leather chairs. It would be difficult to drag yourself away once you started your favorite book or magazine.





We were able to visit the three other libraries in this system as well. Our next stop was Meadville, a very well organized branch with great signage. A beautiful quilt graced the wall of this delightful library, each square depicting a special landmark or area in the county.





The Monticello branch is a busy and much-loved library. Every single one of the public access computers was being used and people were busy checking out books and looking at magazines. One patron even stopped us to let us know she was a huge library supporter; she uses it not only for herself, but she brings her granddaughter on a weekly basis so she can check out books and take advantage of library programs too.







Our last stop was the library in New Hebron. It was the smallest of the system branches, but it was still bright and cheery with many patrons taking advantage of the computers and library materials.







One thing we noticed about the libraries in this system was that they all contained the work of local artists. It's a great way to expand the artistic literacy of the people living in these communities, as well as giving exposure to talented locals. If you'd like to know more about art in libraries, read this short piece from the American Library Association. 

What a great day this was! I am so grateful to Katrina and all of the staff members we met during our visit. Thanks for your hospitality!