Columbus-Lowndes Public Library: A place for more than reading

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The library is a place where pages turn and imaginations take flight.

For half a century, the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library has been impacting lives through the power of reading and much more.

And the library is changing with the times.

You can still find books, but they are also embracing the community to keep their patrons engaged and to keep the library going for another 50 years.

It’s been a big year for the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library.

“Our actual 50th year was in March. And we celebrated this past Friday with a little small gathering with our most essential people that we had to help build this library or get it funded,” said Wil’Lani Turner, Coordinator of Circulations at CLPL.

She said the library has moved away from the quiet culture and really opened its doors.

“We are a safe haven for a lot of people. We’ve been a shelter for a lot of domestic violence victims. We’ve been a shelter for some of the homeless people who come in. We have people who come in here and they will be here all day. And because of that, we offer so many services for them as well,” said Turner.

The library offers services from resume building and job searches to an autism resource center, and more.

But some people may need other tailored services.

“We have a clothing closet we have available all year round. They can pick up clothing items to put on. We have little toiletry bags they may be able to pick up that may be beneficial to them. We’re just not what people think a library should be,” said Turner.

The library has several branches throughout the Golden Triangle including, Caledonia, Crawford, Columbus, and Artesia.

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