Chester County Library holds grand reopening, newly renovated facility

A project over six months in the making and made possible through a state grant, the Chester County Library debuted its revitalized facility on Tuesday in a grand reopening ceremony.

Located in Henderson, the Chester County Library serves 5,000 active cardholders and, according to Library Director Savannah Gilbert, improving and expanding the facility was necessary.

"We were getting to that point where story times in our children's section had nowhere to sit and nowhere to stand so what do you do? Then we're turning away kids from book clubs and you don't want to do that," she said.

Plans to expand began 14 years prior with Gilbert's librarian predecessor Nancy Canada. In the last five years that mark Gilbert's tenure, she has continued Canada's mission before finally receiving the funds two years ago.

"When I came on, my goal was to grow and we have seen substantial growth over these past few years but there's a point in that growth where if the building doesn't grow with you, you're kind of stuck there," Gilbert said.

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The $166,052 Library Construction grant comes from Secretary of State Tre Hargett through the Tennessee State Library and Archives. This is in addition to a separate county investment totaling $600,000 for the library's 1,500-square-foot expansion.

With this allotment of funding and through a partnership with Wold Architects and Engineers, the library has been able to increase the size of the children's reading nooks, offer three different-sized meeting rooms, two private study spaces, a more privatized computer lab, and a newly designated area for teenagers.

"Our architect, he took it and he made it a reality and it has been wonderful seeing that come to life," Gilbert said.

Chester County Mayor Barry Hutcherson says that the library's renovation reflects the greater importance that libraries serve in communities.

"This has been long awaited. It's used so much by the people here in Chester County and it's a great asset," he said.

"We have kids programs here, a lot, and they're greatly using the library and this extension here, adding programs and all, and for people to use the Internet here, it's a good thing for Chester County."

Library hours have also changed to be open more than before the renovation.

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Thursday hours are 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

• Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sarah Best is a reporter for The Jackson Sun. To support local journalism, subscribe to the Daily Briefing here.

This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: Chester County Library debuts renovated facility at ribbon cutting