Perry Library looking forward to renovation

jclark@sunmulti.com

The Perry Library has been on the waiting list for

renovations for several years, and the library system has received funding for

those renovations.

“We are all excited,” stated Karen Odom, the director of the

Houston County Public Library System.

According to Odom, the state will provide $1.6 million while

the county’s 2006 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax provided around

$800,000.

The Perry Library is the library system’s headquarters,

housing the administration, technical services and IT in its 14,00 square foot

building.

“We will be looking at ways to best use the property that we

have,” stated Odom, who explained that the library sits between a parking lot

that is used for the library and the city’s police department, a street and a

business is located behind the library.

In regards to the interior updates, Odom said they plan on

renovating the plumbing, HVAC and workspaces.

She also said the library’s children and teen sections will

be located closer together. Currently, the children’s section is located at the

front of the building and the teen section is located in the back corner.

The library will receive “a needed face lift,” she said.

Odom could not specify when patrons to the library will

start to see construction. She said the system would like to complete the

renovations on the Nola Brantley Library before they start construction on the

Perry Library, but she said that the library system “would keep everyone up to

date.”

HHJ News