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Century Library Celebrating 10 Years
April 20, 2017
The Century Branch Library is celebrating 10 years this week.
The town’s former police station was renovated for $375,000 into a 3,000 square foot library. Most of the funds were from the local options sales tax along with a $113,333 grant from IMPACT 100 for the children’s reading room.
A big grand opening was held on April 18, 2007, with local dignitaries and a “BBQ, Books and Balloons” ceremony. The ribbon was cut by then mayor Evelyn Hammond and Century Library Branch Manager Pat Rigel. Rigel has been manager since the day the library opened.
Since that day, the Century Branch Library has recorded 163,041 visits from area residents and has loaned out 144,517 items. The most popular event at the Century Branch Library? Always the Easter egg hunt.
Pictured top: Century Branch Library Manager Pat Rigel and then mayor Evelyn Hammond cut the ribbon to open the Century Branch Library on April 18, 2007. Pictured below: Then county administrator George Touart speaks on grand opening day. Pictured bottom: Local dignitaries including Touart, then District 5 commissioner Kevin White and members of the Century Town Council pose 10 years ago on Century Branch Library’s opening day. File photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
4 Responses to “Century Library Celebrating 10 Years”
Reading is reading. Sitting around is indeed loitering but it would be silly to waste resources treating anyone sitting around as a criminal. If they were indeed commiting crimes, they would be easy to find. Worrying about people reading the wrong thing is silly To My Way Of Thinking.
And then pay the already exhausted and thinly stretched LEOs to sit around the library monitoring loitering and other possible acts of crime. Go to What-A-Burger or subscribe to a service. I would like to know the “area” that the statistic derived from. What productive things happen in parking lots in Century during the middle of the night anyway? And btw social media usage shouldn’t be defined as “reading”, which the majority of people use public computers and wifi for. I have seen it first hand.
We have always used the library’s resources. We are very thankful for the Century Branch. The staff is always helpful and friendly. We wish you many more years .
REGARDING:
” Century Branch Library has recorded 163,041 visits from area residents”
If they counted those of us who have used their WiFi service from outside the building, the usage would be even higher — it’s still reading. If they went back to leaving it on all the time, the number would also rise. It was money well spent even if the money was diverted from the road paving used to justify it in the first place.
David for the library and useful governmental services