Starkville and Oktibbeha County leaders considering new library

STARKVILLE, MISS. (WCBI) – Moving into the age of technology.

That is one reason the city of Starkville and Oktibbeha County leaders are considering designing a new library for the community.

The Starkville-Oktibbeha County Library is currently housed in a 60-year-old building at the corner of Main and Montgomery Streets.

Funding requests for the library would go to the state legislature.

Both the city and the county have funding in their own budgets to sustain the work done at the library.

In a recent work session, providing a newer place to work and gather and use information resources was a top priority for aldermen.

And Mayor Lynn Spruill says the needs of the community have changed.

“It makes perfect sense for us to look at it in terms of the structure, building a new facility. A lot of people don’t have computers,” said Mayor Spruill. “They don’t have access to the internet. And so it becomes more of a location where people can gather and use those kinds of services rather than actual books.”

One possible location is Highway 1-82. That’s where the federal BUILD grant improvements will take place. And Spruill says a library would allow for a civic presence in that area.