Mullings – The Todd County Public Library will hold its long-awaited “Grand Opening Weekend” on Friday, Nov. 22, and Saturday, Nov. 23.
One of the new display cases in the vestibule at the Todd County Public Library has a small picture nestled in it. In the photograph, the late Ms. Helen Rogel, a very active leader of the “Friends of the Library,” posed for a photo in the former library at 302 East Main Street on its grand opening day. That date, Nov. 22, 1989, saw the former library officially opening after several years being located in the 1835 Todd County Courthouse.
It is only appropriate that on Nov. 22 and Nov. 23, 2024, the Todd County Public Library hosts its official ribbon cutting and “Grand Opening Weekend” to welcome the public to the new 12,900 square foot facility located at 507 South Main Street.
With the library already having its ‘soft’ opening on Oct. 7, the Board and library staff have been busy adding more finishing touches to the building made possible through a KDLA (Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives) grant. To prepare for the two-date event, staff members will have a staff development day on Thursday, thus requiring the library to be closed that day.
Plans for the two-day “Grand Opening Weekend” include tours of the new facility along with a day of children’s activities on Friday, followed by a ribbon cutting with the Todd County Chamber of Commerce planned for 12 p.m. on Saturday.
Prior to the ribbon cutting, the first authors to have a book signing at the new library will introduce their books and have copies available for sale from 10 a.m. until noon. The mother-son duo, Annette Hadden Valentine and her son, Kenneth Valentine, have each published a book this year. Ms. Annette’s, a compilation based on the Bible and the recurring theme of the Shepherd in the Bible, is titled Sixty-Six Books of the Mighty Shepherd. Her son’s book, Cheating Death, provides a mixture of his life stories along with Scripture, revealing in one chapter how his wife of over 30 years also “cheated death” as she has battled breast cancer and all that entails.
Following the mother-son duo book signing, Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting, and recognition of guests on Saturday afternoon, Charles Leavell, currently of Suffolk, Va., and formerly of Allensville, will also have available for sale copies of his two recently published books at 1 p.m. His two books, which have been published the last two years, include Entergration: The Experience of One Black Child Entering into a White School and Todd County Training School: The Place Where Coal Went to Become Diamonds.
Mr. Charles, a 1972 graduate of Todd County Central High School, also serves as the founder of and preacher at Open Hands Christian Fellowship in Suffolk. A former Interior Communications Electrician 2nd Class with the United States Navy, Mr. Charles often returns home to Todd County to visit with family members here.
Susan Carroll, a former member of the Library Board of Trustees who was very active in the completion of the grant process and planning for the new library, texted, “This is an exciting time for Todd County. Many individuals have worked diligently to make our new library a reality. Todd Countians should be very proud to have such a beautiful and state-of-the-art facility.”
Noting the site for the library is positioned at a location allowing for all generations of the community to connect, Brittany Withers, another former Board member who served during the initial planning, site selection, and pre-construction phase of the project, shared, “A new library for our county has been a personal dream of mine for years. Nine years have passed since the project began, and during those nine years, we have had lots of discussions and hard work to make that dream become a reality.” She also added, “I am so happy and proud to welcome this new library to our community.”
Others who assisted with the initial site location for the new facility include Kelvin and Lorie DeBerry along with Brad and Mandy Shemwell. The DeBerry and Shemwell families purchased a home formerly on the site, demolished the home, and then sold the property to the Library Board at a reduced price, thus making the current site convenient to the Elkton Volunteer Fire Department, the Elkton/Todd County Public Park, the Todd County Senior Citizens’ Center, and the soon-to-be senior living complex located nearby.
Obviously, thanks is also extended to Gary Violette, a Todd County native and owner of Violette Architecture / Interior Design of Clarksville, for the functionality of the overall design as well as the aesthetics of the entire project.
With a reminder that reading opens many doors, Jean Odum, a retired educator and the first patron who entered the new building at 507 South Main Street at 8:a.m. on its ‘soft opening’ date, messaged, “Our community is so blessed to have a place where people of all ages can enrich their lives by reading and learning about people and places they may never see.”
Alice Chastain, a retired media specialist who worked at Todd County Middle School and at the former Elkton Elementary prior to her retirement, texted, “I am so very grateful to all those involved in the planning and acquisition of our new public library. Todd Countians should really appreciate having access to such a remarkable and spacious facility.”
Lori Marklin Morrow, formerly of Todd County and a TCCHS graduate, shared, “The new library is a vibrant addition to Todd County's community. It is thoughtfully designed to welcome every visitor, including the youngest of readers. With an inviting collection of books, child-friendly areas, and activity spaces, it is sure to foster a love of learning and connection for generations to come.”
Other people’s reactions to the new building typically include smiles, questions about the library’s resources and size, amazement at the well-planned building’s design, the many
Musings
The Todd County Public Library Board of Trustees has hired Amanda Leigh Hayes of Hopkinsville as its new director. Hayes replaces Audrea Clairmont as director, who informed the Board earlier this year she needed to step aside as a full-time employee to care for the needs of her family.
Hayes, who currently makes her home in Hopkinsville, holds a doctorate in English Pedagogy with a concentration in literacy K through adult from Murray State University. Dr. Hayes also has earned a master’s degree in library science from the University of Kentucky with an emphasis in public libraries. She also has two other masters degrees as well as a bachelor’s degree. Her experience in libraries includes her working at the Hopkinsville-Christian County Public Library, the Smith’s Grove Branch of the Warren County Public Library, and the Oasis International School in Ankara, Turkey. She also has experience as a classroom teacher both in the area and abroad.
In her library work experience, she previously designed a library for a new campus and supervised 10 staff members during construction and during their campus relocation in Turkey. In addition, she has supervised library assistants and has experience with budgeting, acquisition of new materials, cataloguing all forms of library media including archives, translating materials for use by those speaking Spanish, marketing a public library, and the development of programs for both teens and children.
In discussions with the Board during her interview, Hayes explained she has always had a love for the library, and once she knew about the job opportunity at the Todd County Public Library, she immediately applied for the position.
A native of Hopkinsville who graduated from Hopkinsville High School, Ms. Hayes shared via text prior to her interview, she shared during her interview she speaks Spanish and has some familiarity with German. Obviously, the two languages will be of utmost assistance to our community since quite a few of our citizens are fluent in both Spanish and German. As most people know, the Spanish-speaking population in Todd County has increased in recent years. According to Data USA, 4.8 percent of the population in Todd County is Hispanic. That equates to 589 people out of the county’s slightly higher than 12,000 population. That figure makes Hispanic the third most common ethnic group in Todd County. In comparison in Kentucky, 3.5 percent of Kentuckians speak Spanish.
The library is a facility of 12,900 square feet of space that is so accommodating to the expanding needs of Todd County.
Sue Rose, a former member of the Todd County Public Library’s Board of Trustees for many years, stated, “Todd County is so very fortunate to have such a wonderful and modern library and such a talented individual at the new library. I am confident the library will soon become even more embedded into our community as the final touches to the facility and its accommodations soon take place.”
More on author Charles Leavell
Charles “Donnie” Leavell will sign his two recently released books focused on Todd County Training School. His books, which have been published during the last two years, include Entergration: The Experience of One Black Child Entering into a White School and Todd County Training School: The Place Where Coal Went to Become Diamonds. Mr. Charles, a 1972 graduate of Todd County Central High School, also serves as the founder of and preacher at Open Hands Christian Fellowship in Suffolk, Va.
His first book, which was published in June 2023, focuses on the experiences of a young black student who transitioned from an all-black school to an integrated one. He also explains, “Entergration is the story of highs and lows and struggles and victories.” He emphasized, too, “how learning from two different school systems still impacts my life.” Noting “one door closed while another door opened,” he added the “entergration” of two school cultures impacted the many students who were involved in integration in Todd County.
Charles Leavell was born in 1954, the same year as Brown vs. The Board of Education became law. In his discussion of the integration, he experienced during his years first at Elkton Elementary and later at TCCHS, he explained his shifting from a segregated school to an integrated school was in many ways similar to Jesus deciding if he should travel through Samaria, a land known for its hatred of the Jewish nation.
His second book, Todd County Training School: The Place Where Coal Went to Become Diamonds, continues Mr. Charles’ sharing of details about the significance of attending Todd County Training School, a school that in many ways helped to transform the young adults who attended the school into young adults ‘shining’ brightly in their communities.
A graduate of Tidewater Community College in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Leavell earned a degree in business management, and he also served as a postal employee for 37 years.
In talking about his experiences as a student at TCCHS, he shared in a recent WEKT spotlight on TCCHS alumni that he values most from Todd Central the connections he made, not only those with the TCCHS Class of 1972 but those of other classes as well.
More about the mother-son writing duo who will be signing books this weekend will appear in a separate article.