After 14 months and $4.2 million in renovations, the Pascagoula Public Library will unveil its upgraded facilities to the public on Aug. 18.
As the renovation ends and more than 42,000 books are reshelved, the library is planning a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a grand opening for new entertainment and educational amenities in October.
Necessary improvements
Angela Stewart, director of the Jackson-George Regional Library System, said much of the renovations were directed toward maintaining the 40-year-old building — which had a broken elevator, leaks and unreliable air conditioning.
“I felt so terrible about some of our locals — they would come in and they’d have to wear a jacket some days, and then the next day, it’d be so hot you couldn’t stay in here and actually work or look at the collection,” Stewart said.
Some significant updates include:
— Roof replacement.
— Elevator replacement.
— Full heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system replacement.
— Skylight glass installations.
— Remodeled public restrooms.
— Interior finishes and flooring.
— Sidewalk ramps in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Stewart said the new HVAC system is significant because the building houses many primary sources of local history.
“We have the Singing River Genealogy and Local History Library upstairs, which has some rare manuscripts, some one-of-a-kind items, very precious photographs … you just don’t want those types of materials in a bad environment,” she said.
Investments in education and entertainment
Stewart said the renovations also bring an audiovisual lab designed to offer public access to digital content creation at no cost. The space will have 50-inch monitors, computer and microphone equipment and editing software.
“… All for free with your library card — it’ll be one of just a few in the entire South,” Stewart said. “It’s great for local musicians; it’s great for local wannabe podcasters — even if you just want to put together a short video of your vacation footage, we’ll have that as well.”
Upstairs, Stewart said the children’s library will be greatly expanded, including a new video gaming area. While plans have not been finalized, Stewart said the library hopes to partner with local businesses to furnish a pirate-themed play area for children.
“Families are always saying there aren’t free places to take their children here in the area. We’re about to make it a showplace for kids to come in, and when they go to the library, it’s going to be an event,” Stewart said.
A hub of local community and culture
Laura Byrd Cooley, a member of the library system’s board, has been visiting the Pascagoula library since she was in preschool and even before the current structure was built in 1984. She said she recalls roaming the aisles with her mother while her father flipped through the newspaper.
Today, she said she enjoys delving into the local archives for a look at coastal history.
“So many people have lost photos and memorabilia since (Hurricane) Katrina, and I love nothing better than to come up here on a Saturday afternoon … and just pick a day, pick a month in the past and start looking through,” Cooley said. “I will post pictures (online) of people that I know or of the articles that I see that involve people that I know — birth announcements, things like that. People get so much joy from that.”
Cooley said it’s significant that the county and city continues to invest in the library — a place she sees as a hub for community activity, education and workforce development.
“At the beginning of this process, there was a very big misconception that people don’t read (print) books anymore, that everybody does it on their Kindle or their iPad, and that’s just not true,” Cooley said. “The library is so much more than that. It’s a haven for people to come in off the streets, for kids after school — it’s a safe place — in addition to being able to check out books that you want to read.”
Yolanda Bell, a Jackson County resident, said she uses the library as a quiet workplace — and as an escape.
“I do research, and then I study a lot of history. I write,” Bell said. “I can get away and just have my thoughts.”
The Pascagoula library has been closed since April. In the meantime, Bell has used the Gautier Public Library and hopes to return to the county’s largest library after its reopening.
She said post-renovation she would like to see expanded programming — particularly for the community’s older adults and youth.
“I’m hoping that they will bring more programs for the students, programs for the community … for our young ones that develop their minds and get them going,” Bells said. “In this generation, everything is expanding — you can’t stay stuck. So, to redevelop is a good thing.”
Finishing touches and grand opening
Staff members are now stocking shelves with the library’s vast collection of books — a repository that includes new releases, too.
After the Aug. 18 soft opening, Stewart said the library plans to promote new services as they become available.
While the ribbon-cutting date has not been finalized, Steward said residents can expect an event sometime in October. The event will include the opening of a time capsule from 1984, and items from the community will be placed in a new capsule.
Stewart said the renovations are connected to a wider effort by the Jackson County Board of Supervisors to improve library infrastructure. The St. Martin Public Library, Ocean Springs Municipal Library and Ina Thompson Moss Point Library have undergone their own renovations in recent years.
“We’ve had basically four of our branches completely renovated … better lighting, better HVAC equipment … just so that the libraries will be ready for families for years and years to come,” Stewart said.
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