On Thursday, July 1, 2010, Brantley Construction Company successfully removed the cupola from the Jackson County Courthouse in Sylva. This was done in order to repair the wooden flooring beneath the cupola. After repairs are complete, the cupola will be reseated on the courthouse roof. Photo Credit: Nick Breedlove, The Sylva Herald.

Significant progress has been made on the new Jackson County Public Library Complex since the groundbreaking in May of 2009. Winter weather conditions put the 20,000 square foot addition portion of the project slightly behind schedule. The need to repair roof of the historic courthouse has now put the renovation behind schedule. The estimated completion date is now the second quarter of 2011.

 

During the early years of its existence, the 1914 Jackson County Courthouse featured beautiful period windows. These have been replaced with new energy-efficient windows in the period style. Already much of the interior woodwork has been completed.

 

Brick masons have completed the brick work on the exterior of the new addition. A tumbled style brick was selected in order to match the original brick on the courthouse. The exterior brick on the addition will be painted white to match the exterior of the courthouse. Construction workers are busy completing the interior walls of the 20,000 square foot addition.

 

The project architect, Donnie Love of McMillan Pazdan Smith and Associates of South Carolina worked closely with Lynne Wilson, interior designer of the firm, to finalize the interior features, including carpet, draperies, lighting, wood enhancements, etc. Samples of these interior elements may be seen at the current Jackson County Public Library.

 

You will be able to keep up with the project here on the website. We'll periodically post photos showing the progress of the construction and add them to a photo archive as new updates are made. Enjoy the photos and check back often to see what's happening on the hill.

Sandra Burbank, left, Jeri Winkels and Antoinette McWatt work diligently to sort, price and shelve the 3,900 items from Miss Emma’s Country Store.

The Friends of the Library Used Bookstore recently received a very large donation from a generous local business owner. Rob Goodwin, owner of Miss Emma’s Country Store in Dillsboro, had made the decision to close his store after 10 years in business.

 

Rob wanted to help out the new Jackson County Public Library Complex and so contacted Mary Selzer of the Friends. His store contained many beautiful books and other items. Rob invited Dottie Brunette, the county librarian, in to see if any of his books would be appropriate for the new library. Dottie selected 1,300 items which will be stored at a county facility until the new complex is ready to receive the items.

 

Rob wanted the rest of the books, puzzles and other items – 3,900 in all - to go to the Friends bookstore. He knew that proceeds from the bookstore benefit the Jackson County Public Library. Many volunteers were needed to transport the books and then sort, price and shelve them.

 

The shelving from Miss Emma’s was also a treasure which Rob donated to the Friends. Several volunteers worked diligently to remove old shelving and install the new, light colored, flexible shelving. The books are now beautifully displayed and the bookstore seems much more spacious.

 

We are indebted to Rob Goodwin for his generosity.

Books for Bricks, the Friends popular summer reading challenge for children pre-K through seventh grade, is being offered once again this summer. Young readers have raised over $6,300 in the five years this program has been offered. They will be recognized for their efforts in the children’s room in the new library.

 

"Books for Bricks Challenge 2010," encourages children to read books (or be read to), gather sponsors, and collect from the sponsors $1.00 or more for each book read. Each dollar collected represents one brick in the new Jackson County Library – thus, “Building Our New Library One Brick at a Time.” The readers who collect the most money will receive gift certificates from Wal-Mart. All readers who turn in money for the library will be recognized with a certificate presented at a Jackson County Commissioners’ board meeting. All of the funds will be donated to the New Library Fund to purchase materials for the new Jackson County Public Library Complex.

 

Books for Bricks begins June 14 and runs through August 13. Registration forms may be picked up at the Used Book Store or at the library. All monies and sponsor forms should be turned in to the Friends Used Book Store or the Jackson County Public Library by August 31. All contributions made to the Friends are tax deductible, as allowed by law.

 

Participants may join in the Books for Bricks Challenge in conjunction with the library’s “Make a Splash” 2010 Summer Reading Program, which runs from June 15 through July 30. Elizabeth Beck, the Jackson County Library children’s librarian, has a series of age-appropriate activities planned throughout the summer. Children may register for Make a Splash at the library. Both programs are designed to help children increase their reading skills and encourage a lifelong love of reading.

Tuesday, May 25 - County commissioners, Fontana Regional Library Board members and staff, Jackson County Main Library staff and Friends of the Library members were on hand to receive the $200,000 check from USDA Rural Development.

The Campaign Steering Committee for the Capital Campaign and the Friends of the Jackson County Main Library are pleased to announce they have received a $200,000 Community Facilities Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development to be used to purchase furniture, fixtures and equipment for the new library complex. This generous grant required a $1.2 million match and the campaign is very pleased to be able to commit to this match thanks to the hundreds of gifts and pledges we have received over the past two years.

 

Fontana Regional Library applied for the USDA Rural Development Grant on behalf of the new Jackson County Public Library Complex. Throughout the past nine months members of the Board of Trustees and the Fontana Regional Library staff have worked with Pamela Hysong, Area Director, USDA Rural Development, to make this grant a reality.

 

“It has been a pleasure working with Fontana Regional Library staff on this project, said Ms. Hysong. "Understandably, the entire community is excited that they will soon have a beautiful, spacious new library building in Jackson County. USDA Rural Development is thrilled to participate in the project by helping to provide the new fixtures, furnishings and equipment for the building."

 

“USDA Rural Development is very pleased to provide this $200,000 Community Facilities grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. We commend the Fontana Regional Library, the Friends of the Jackson County Main Library, and the citizens of Jackson County for raising $1,200,000 matching funds,” said William A “Bill” Hobbs, Community Programs Director.

 

Mary Otto Selzer, Co-Chair of the Capital Campaign said, “In May of 2008 when the capital campaign officially began, we were talking to donors about the new library complex project and, at that time, we had a little over $140,000 in the new library account. Thanks to the hard work of the volunteers working on the campaign as well as those at the Friends Book Store on Main Street in Sylva, and the generosity of many in our community and beyond, we are in the position to be able to agree to provide the $1.2 million of matching funds associated with the USDA’s $200,000 grant.”

 

"Raising this money for the new library complex has truly been a team and community effort," said June T. Smith, President of the Friends of the Jackson County Main Library. "Without the thousands of hours volunteers have worked to make the dream of a new library come true, a new library would still be a dream and our historic courthouse would still stand deserted. The generosity of our community has turned the volunteer hours into the donations that will furnish and equip a library of which we will be extremely proud."

 

This grassroots campaign, which is being spearheaded by the Friends, has been successful because hundreds of individuals, foundations and companies have shown their support through various levels of giving. Children have brought in their piggy banks; patrons have joined the Wall of Fame at the library; many young readers, through the Books for Bricks summer reading program, raised over $6,300; merchants have donation boxes on the counters in their businesses; companies wrote generous checks; and grantors have been charitable in providing funds.

 

"The Friends of the Jackson County Main Library had a daunting challenge to raise money for the new Jackson County Public Library during a time of economic downturn. They rallied the community to help them meet this challenge and thanks to their dedicated efforts, they have met with great success. This money will help furnish the new library in keeping with the architectural style of the historic courthouse. At the same time, it will provide the latest technology for residents and visitors to accomplish their future goals,” stated Karen Wallace, Director of Fontana Regional Library.

 

The Jackson County Public Library is part of a tri-county public library system. Fontana Regional Library connects the six public libraries in Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties into a regional system. Uniting as a region enables the libraries to provide higher quality services and operate more effectively and efficiently. Through this system, patrons have the ability to use all of the libraries in the region and to order media items from any of the other members of the system. The regional system also provides greater opportunities to obtain grants and raise corporate and private funding for projects that benefit library services throughout the region.

 

The Jackson County Public Library Complex is a $7 million building project which is being administered by the Jackson County Board of Commissioners. This project will incorporate the renovation of the 1914 Jackson County Courthouse with a 20,000 square foot addition. It is designed to be a community resource facility and cultural center of the county. The anticipated opening date for the complex is the second quarter of 2011.

 

Donations to the Capital Campaign fund may be made at the Jackson County Public Library, 755 West Main Street, the Friends of the Library Bookstore, 536 West Main Street, through the this website, or mailed to Friends of the Jackson County Main Library, PO Box 825, Sylva, North Carolina, 28779-0825.

Beautiful t-shirts displaying the capital campaign logo are for sale at the bookstore. The shirts cost $15 each or are free with a $100 or more donation to the new library. Show your support by wearing one of the shirts!