Ruth Hazen checks out a book from circulation assistant Dawn Haddon at the new and improved South County branch of the public library. After a$1 million renovation, the library will host a ribbon cutting on Monday.
By MITCHELLE STEPHENSON, For The Capital
The South County Library in Deale at 5940 Deale-Churchton Road has undergone a $1 million face-lift in recent months. In addition to doubling the meeting space, the facility also received additional parking space, security upgrades, new restrooms and upgrades to the interior lighting.
Pat Guyton, branch manager, is excited about the changes taking place, stating that a few years back the county upgraded the counter and office space, giving librarians an expanded area for their work.
"Now we have new lighting in the central area and behind the counter, and the stacks have brighter lighting," Pat said.
No new materials have been added to the branch, but the expansion has allowed librarians to expand the formerly crowded stacks into where the old meeting space was located. They also are starting a drive to raise money to buy new materials.
On Monday the new space will be officially introduced to the public with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and daylong series of activities and performances.
At 1:30 p.m. County Councilwoman Tricia Johnson will present storytime in the children's area followed by the ribbon-cutting at 2 p.m. with other county officials and library personnel.
In addition, the new meeting room will be put to good use throughout the day: the South County Showstoppers will give a dance performance at 2:45 p.m. At 4:30 p.m., "Ground," winners of the 2010 Battle of the Bands, will perform. An hour later, Southern Middle School students will perform under the direction of Richard Albright, and from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m., the Jim Ballard Jazz Quartet will play.
In February, 1968, the south county branch became the third library in the county system to be dedicated. The 6,100 square foot space was built for $164,080.
The building upgrade was approved in 2005 and funded in 2008. In September of last year, construction began. The library did not close to patrons during the construction phase. Although it was slated for completion in February, the project actually wrapped up last month - a month ahead of schedule.
The branch serves approximately 6,000 people each month. In the old meeting room, 79 people could be accommodated. Now, the room can hold 149 people.
Even before this Monday's dedication, the meeting space is getting use.Last Thursday the Deale Area Historical Society resumed holding their monthly meetings at the library.
Ruth Hazen, a member of the historical society said that they were looking forward to being back at the library. "I'm very excited to be able to meet in the new space. I think it is bigger and more appropriate for shows and inviting people in," Ruth said.
Ruth noted that the old meeting room was long and narrow, which made it difficult to host large groups. Now the room is square, so presentations can be visible from all parts of the room.
There is no cost to attend the library dedication party.
And - now that they've gone from 28 parking spaces to 66 - library visitors should be able to find a place to park.
Fourth-grader Caterina Grandi from Shady Side Elementary School was recently honored with an assembly and a visit from Louie, the mascot of the Bowie Baysox minor league baseball team.
Each year the Baysox host a program, "Read and Hit a Home Run." The program is sponsored by Educational Systems Federal Credit Union. Students from area schools are encouraged to read four books outside of their school curriculum. Students who do are rewarded with a free ticket to a Baysox game.
To launch this year's program, the Baysox asked local schoolchildren to submit drawings for the program's poster. They received more than 2,000 submissions.
Caterina joined Corrine Fisher from James Rider Randall Elementary in Clinton, as semi-finalist. The finalist will be selected later this month.
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