Library Reopens

Many people turned out for the dedication and reopening of the Jasper County Library on East Greene Street Sunday.

After a brief ceremony, the library was open for two hours for interested persons to tour the facility. It opened for business Monday morning. The facility has been closed more than a year while renovation and addition was taking place.

A smaller version of the library was open at the old Washington Park School on Fred Smith Street, but the new facility is bigger and brighter. It is welcoming to users who may come check out books and other materials, or do research on site either among the many reference books or on the computer, as there are numerous a computers available for public use. Carol McElheney, chairman of the Jasper County Library Board of Trustees and Nita Mix, manager of the Jasper County Library, cut ceremonial ribbon just before the doors were opened for the tour.
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Once opened, visitors toured the roomy facility, and (above, left) DeArione “Little D” Alexander wasted no time in selecting a book and looking it over. (We’re not sure if he was actually reading, as he is only four-years-old.)

Jeff Tomlinson, director of the Uncle Remus Regional Library System thanked those individuals who helped make the project possible. He recognized the Monticello Garden Club for the flower arrangement dedicated by the club, and thanked Rod Perry for the portrait of Thomas Persons which hangs in the library.

The estate of Mr. Persons is part of what made the project possible, as $1 million was earmarked for the library with a special section for architecture and interior design required. Special thanks was also expressed to Woodmen of the World for the American Flag and Rep. Jim Cole for the state flag. Local Boy Scouts in troop 331 handled the flag ceremony, and Les Steele played the national anthem on the trumpet.

Dr. John Brown of Monticello First United Methodist Church gave the invocation.