The May 16, 2009 groundbreaking celebration officially kicked off the new Jackson County Public Library Complex building project. Construction and renovation began two days after the ceremony, and the expected completion date is late 2010.

 

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 (January 17, right) 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.

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!
 
 

 

 

Alan Salzano, left, senior vice president of the State Employees Credit Union, and Dr. John Bunn, co-chair of the capital campaign, stand at the base of the campaign sign which is mounted on the lawn of the Jackson County Courthouse. With the recent announcement of the new campaign milestone, the "library family” was moved up to the $1.2 million step. There are only two more steps to climb - $1.4 million and the final step of $1.6 million, the campaign goal.

The capital campaign for the new library complex has exceeded the $1.2 million mark. This milestone was reached through money from grants and foundations, corporate and group donations and through contributions from the people of Jackson County.

 

When one Jackson County couple, Dottie and Davis Whitesides, made their pledge, they had no idea that their contribution would have such a significant effect on the campaign. Their money brought the fundraising drive over the $1.2 million mark.

 

The capital campaign, which has a goal of $1.6 million, was given a significant boost in late August when the SECU Foundation through the members of the State Employees’ Credit Union announced that it would match every dollar raised between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010 up to $250,000. This matching money through the SECU Foundation Matching Grant will allow the Friends of the Library who are spearheading the community-based campaign the opportunity to complete the fundraising goal.

 

Alan Salzano, Senior Vice President, State Employees Credit Union said, "The credit union’s foundation is very excited about its participation in this project, what it stands for and what it means to the community. I think this is a great project and our foundation is proud to be involved in it."

 

Dr. John Bunn, co-chair of the capital campaign, remarked, "I feel absolutely confident that the people of Jackson County are going to respond to this challenge gift and that they are really going to have a fantastic feeling about what they are doing for themselves, not only now, but for the people in the future. I look forward to the time when I can come to the library, grab a book and a cup of coffee, go out on the patio and sit and relax and enjoy it. I know the people of Jackson County will want to do the same thing."

 

"Another milestone has been reached in the campaign to raise funds to restore the historic courthouse and incorporate it into the new Jackson County Public Library Complex. To date we have received cash and pledges of $1,210,000 which is 75.6% of our goal. Thanks to the generous support of the -more- community we have matched over $81,000 of the $250,000 SECU Foundation grant. There is only $169,000 left to raise to allow us to take full advantage of this generous grant and we will then be within $50,000 of our goal of $1.6 million," said Mary Otto Selzer, co-chair of the campaign.

 

Contributions can be made in person at the Friends of the Library Used Book Store or at the Jackson County Public Library, both located on Main Street in Sylva. They can also be mailed to: Friends of the Jackson County Main Library, P.O. Box 82, Sylva, NC 28779-0825. For more information call Connie Terry, campaign coordinator at 507-0476.

By any measure of success, the 5th Great Smoky Mountains Book Fair comes out a winner. A constant stream of book lovers filled the Family Life Center of the Sylva First United Methodist Church on Saturday, November 14. They chatted with authors and had their books signed. They attended author workshops to learn more about everything from hunting and fishing in the Smokies to how a sense of place shapes the fiction of many writers. Participants had their rare and unusual books appraised by Chan Gordon of the Captain’s Bookshelf in Asheville. Many folks had a poem written just for them by former NC Poet Laureate Kathryn Stripling Byer (pictured). There were also opportunities to become a member of the Friends of Jackson County Main Library and to learn more about the new Jackson County Library Complex currently taking shape atop Courthouse Hill in downtown Sylva.

 

For children there was a different story teller every half hour and an opportunity to make a book with local book makers Mernie Wortham and Emily Wilson and with Terry Taylor of Lark Books. They could even pet Waylon, the famous Plott hound. Wayne Erbsen and Doug Elliott and others made music throughout the day. Poetry filled the air when local students, winners of the Book Fair’s poetry contest, teamed up with Allan Wolf, Asheville performance poet, to read and perform their poems. Parents, grandparents, and teachers beamed as developing writers and readers took the stage to read their work. You can see the kids and read their poems at www.ncpoetlaureate.blogspot.com. On Friday night before the Fair, Steve Brady of Franklin gave an outstanding performance as Major Lewis Redmond in Gary Carden’s play, “The Prince of Dark Corners.”

 

Joyce Moore of City Lights Bookstore said more books by far were sold this year than at any other Fair, and City Lights will donate $3,200, 20% of the sales, to the New Library Fund. Proceeds from the play and other sales and donations hosted by the Friends netted $1,600 for a total of $4,800 raised. This amount will be matched by the SECU Foundation grant, resulting in $9,600 for the New Library Fund! The Friends thank all who came and all who helped produce the Fair for your part in helping to build the new Jackson County Library Complex. Gallery of photos from the Book Fair.

The Friends of the Jackson County Main Library have received a first place Reid Award from the NC Friends of the Library for Chapter of the Year in the 100-300 member category. Alice Spuller, president of the NC Friends of the Library, also passed on the good news that Mary Otto Selzer who was nominated as "Volunteer Extraordinaire" had received an honorable mention in the volunteer-of-the-year category.

 

The application for the Reid award outlines the Friends efforts to support the current Jackson County Public Library and the efforts toward helping the new Jackson County Public Library Complex become a reality. This application form only allowed activities that took place between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009 to be included. Because the Friends organization is a very active chapter, the application exceeded the space limitation.

 

Mary Otto Selzer, former president of the Friends and presently co-chair of the New Library Fund Capital Campaign, was nominated in the volunteer of the year category because of her creative and dedicated leadership. To quote from the application: "She has lifted the Friends organization to a new level of excellence."