Video: Town To Get Ten Times More Space For Public Library

NETTLETON, MISS. (WCBI) – For years, Nettleton’s Dorothy J. Lowe Memorial Library has been cramped and overcrowded. In fact, there’s no space in the 565 square foot facility  for new books.

But that will soon change, when the library moves to a 5,500 square foot downtown building, which currently serves as the Nettleton facility for Holland Funeral Directors.

“It is a beautiful space for a library,” said Steve Holland, who was approached recently about donating the building for the library. It not only means ten times the space for the library, but it also means more educational opportunities for everyone.

“I’m a lifelong learner, I have spent my life in a public library and whatever I might be and whatever I am quite frankly, I pretty much owe to two things, the public library and the public education system in this state,” Holland said.

Nettleton resident Brandon Presley says the new location is ideal.

“Where better than downtown, it’s two tenths of a mile from the school, children can walk here, you can expand services and I think it’s a perfect fit for generations to come,” Presley said.

Folks are excited about the library’s new location, in fact, since the announcement, several people have donated books and plans are being made for the big move.

Nettleton Mayor Mem Riley says Friends of the Library will start a fundraising campaign to raise the $100,000 balance owed on the building. He believes donors will view it as an investment in the future.

“When I first took office last year, that was the first thing mentioned to me about, other citizens, saying, you know, you need to work on a library, that was mentioned to me constantly,” Riley said.

Steve Holland plans to leave some furnishings and the sound system for the library, but the caskets will go. The new, larger library could be opened by Valentine’s Day.

The library will be called the “Lowe-Holland Memorial Library. ”