Liberty Public Library

May Storytimes in Liberty - Thursdays at 11:00 am

May 2 Ships Ahoy!
May 9 Flower Power
May 16 Down on the Farm
May 23 Puppy Parade
May 30 Big Bug! Little Bug!

 

 

 

Liberty opens new nature library

Liberty has a new library! The Liberty Nature Research Library formally opened on Thursday, July 29 at 11 a.m. in the Reitzel Center in downtown Liberty.

On hand to cut the ribbon were Carol Stevenson and Maxton King, children of the donor, Henry King, as well as many friends. Presiding over the ceremony was Mayor Pro-Tem of Liberty, Terry Caviness.

The library, one of only two nature libraries in the state, is a tribute to Maxine Frazier King, wife of author and former Courier-Tribune columnist Henry King. Maxine was Franklinville Librarian from 1960-1996.

Upon her death in 2003, Henry donated their collection of nature books to the Morningstar Nature Refuge in Williamston, founded by Gail Roberson, in memory of Maxine.

As Roberson’s health declined, she contacted Henry about moving the library to a permanent location. Carol Stevenson, who works for the Town of Liberty, Town Manager Roger Davis, a lover of libraries in his own right, and Warren Dixon, dear friend of Henry’s and Liberty Library Board of Trustees chairman, jumped at the idea of moving it to Liberty, as it fit perfectly with the planned downtown revitalization.

Fortunately, Roger was able to secure a room in the Reitzel Center for the library. With the assistance of Liberty Librarian Susan Primm and her able staff members Carol Kendall, Laraleigh Bigham and Margee Kindred, the library was assembled by subject and decorated in a nature theme featuring turtle sitting stools, woven rugs depicting wild rabbits, a shell collection, life size bird and fish models and a Kachina doll, which Henry had carved from a felled tree for Carol some years ago.

In fact, much of the décor was selected and ordered by Henry himself to increase ambiance for the visiting children and adults. The library of 1,200 books will be a research and reference library only. A copying machine is on order for duplication of materials.

King has been fascinated with nature since earliest childhood. He built what he believes to be one of the first nature trails in the state behind his house in Franklinville. It led to -- you guessed it -- Sandy Creek. One of his first published works was for Rocks and Minerals magazine around 1948. He was a camp counselor in nature study and crafts when he was a teenager in the Baltimore area because of his knowledge of nature. He began his collection of nature books early on. When he and Maxine married, this became a joint venture of love which continued until her death.

The Liberty Nature Research Library is open Mondays and Saturdays from 9-1 and on Wednesdays from 1-5 pm. Visitors are welcomed and donations in accordance with the theme of the library will be accepted.

Carol Kendall is the Librarian.

Liberty library gets fresh, new look

New carpet, new paint and a creative new floor plan have given the Liberty Public Library a more welcoming feel.

The project, led by Liberty Librarian Susan Primm and Town Manager Roger Davis, has transformed the library from its 1970s look to a more modern, open design.

In addition to the paint and carpet, Primm and Davis engineered a reorientation of the library’s floor plan, placing the main collection’s shelving ranges diagonally. The move opens the collection directly to anyone who enters through the front door.

The library closed for two-and-a-half weeks in late September and early October as staff and volunteers moved books and fixtures out for painting and carpet, and then back.

In addition to Primm and Davis, assisting with the project were Liberty staff members Renee Kirkman, Martha Neal, Carol Kendall and Laraleigh Bigham; volunteers Kaye Beck, Karen Way, Juanita Bowman, Milton Piedra, Hilda Parker, Kathy Michaels, Martin Rierson, Bill Stanford, Guy Troy (two chocolate cakes !), Crystal Weatherly, Marcio Peixoto and Robin Cagle; and Asheboro staff Suzanne Tate, Linda Shirley, Yvonne King, Cathy Carter, , Ann McGlohon, James Durham, Ross Holt and Ian Fletcher.