The staff of the Hampton B. Allen Library gave a tour on Monday to show the library’s progress and to ask for continued support from the community and government. The tour was offered as part of the “Day in the District” libraries in the Sandhills Regional Library System have been celebrating.
State Rep. Mark Brody, County Manager Megan Garner and HOLLA! founder Leon Gatewood toured the library with director Aaron Mehaffey as he showed off old staples and newly redesigned sections of the library.
“We appreciate how much you’ve support us in the past,” he told the small group. “We wanted to bring you here to show you the return on your investment.”
Mehaffey first led them to the Teen Space immediately to the left as visitors step inside the library. Teenagers previously had one table and two chairs, but now, there’s a roomier section devoted to them where the periodicals used to be. Now, the young adult fiction is just inside the door and easier to find, with tables, chairs and USB cables and power outlets available for use within the section.
“We’re trying to create a more inviting, more practical space for teenagers,” Mehaffey said.
He led the group to the study area and graphic novel section for young adults. Japanese manga and comic books by DC, Marvel and independent publishers line the shelves. Mehaffey said he has also implemented the Comics Out Loud program with students to engage them in reading.
Destiny Dows, a part-time staff member, showed the group the children’s reading section, where kids can do crafts and listen to storytime each Tuesday.
The Newsstand is a section in the middle of the library with access to various newspapers and other publications, as well as a smart TV.
“When we created the Teen Space, we wanted to be sure the adults got something, too,” Mehaffey said. The adult books are nearby in their same location, divided by genre, including westerns, inspirational/spiritual and science-fiction.
In the back of the library, Mehaffey showed the group the genealogy session, where Gilberte “Gibby” Bachiochi conducts research and provides access to materials as the genealogy librarian.
Bachiochi said the library has yearbooks, records of marriages, the history of the library, access to Ancestry.com and microfiche files and many other materials available for those looking into history or their family genealogy.
The theater downstairs hosts one of the library’s most popular events — movie day. On Monday during the tour, a group of 23 people watched “Singing with Angels.”
Dianne Welch, a part-time staff member, said that the free movie viewings are popular with the older crowd, and that two nursing homes within the county often bring participants, though transportation can be an issue for them some days.
Welch said that the library’s most popular event is the 50+ Club, and that after experimenting with a variety of programs, the library found bringing in local musicians to be the group’s favorite. Carson Hill is scheduled to appear for the group on April 10.
After the tour, Mehaffey went over statistics of both the Wadesboro library and North Carolina libraries in general, saying that more than 5,000 people attended the library’s events and that more than 31,000 items were circulated.
Mehaffey said that the library is a “technology hub” and “an essential part of the democratic system,” and continues to add more programs. One includes a six-week beginner’s computer class to help wary users learn the basics of the device. The library already has several partnerships, including one with Sandhills Center, which hosts a monthly support group for families of those with mental illnesses, and Mehaffey said he plans to pursue more partnerships.
One challenge the library faces is filling the needs of a large county with a scattered population with only the Wadesboro facility and the Bookmobile available to residents, Mehaffey said. The Bookmobile goes out every Thursday and the first and third Tuesdays of the month.
Mehaffey said that according to the Sandhills Regional Library System, which the Hampton B. Allen Library belongs to, state funding of libraries has decreased by 34 percent over the last 10 years.
Brody said that he believes that libraries have begun to have an increase in funding to help reverse the trend, and that the General Assembly has seen “the value of libraries.”
Mehaffey had no specific requests for the group, but said he wanted them to see the facility and catch up on the new and upcoming changes, and asked for their continued support of the library.
Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough.
Library genealogist Gilberte "Gibby" Bachiochi, left, tells Rep. Mark Brody, far right, and county manager Megan Garner about the services the genealogy library offers. Library director Aaron Mehaffey, center leads the tour.
Aaron Mehaffey, director of the Hampton B. Allen Library, provides the tour group with state and local statistics about library funding and usage.
Rep. Mark Brody, left, library director Aaron Mehaffey, center and county manager Megan Garner meet for a tour of the Hampton B. Allen Library on Monday.