Green (photo above) has directed the library since 1990

By Charlotte Underwood

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – The Campbell County Rotary Club learned about the history of the LaFollette Library and the library’s Summer Reading Program from Library Director Nancy Green on Tuesday at the club’s weekly luncheon.

Green has been the Director of the LaFollette Library for 34 and a half years. She spoke about the four libraries of Campbell County that are governed by the local library board.

Green also gave a brief history of how the LaFollette Library was established.

“I researched and found the history of it; In the beginning the ladies of the LaFollette Book Club began an effort for a public library. Early in 1941, TVA was asked to donate land for a library, but there was no success with that request,” Green said.

The ladies of the book club “did not give up” and the library was first housed in the office of E.E. Hill on the second floor of Peoples Bank. Citizens were asked to donate books. Members of the LaFollette Book Club operated the library for a limited number of hours. The second location of the library was a very small room at city hall on First Street.

“When the city needed the room for extra offices, the library got cut and it moved again and this time, it went up to the LaFollette Press for a short time,” Green said.

Eventually the city was persuaded to provide space in the municipal building on South Tennessee Avenue. The library was located there for 49 years. The library has been at its new location at 201 S. Ninth Street in the rec center building for the past 12 years.

The new location is 4,300 square feet, which is “so much better than the previous 1,100 square feet.

Green also talked about the library’s summer reading program and how it benefits area children.

“I’ve conducted the Summer Reading Program for 32 years out of 34 years. The only two we’ve missed is one during Covid and one when we were moving the library to its new location,” Green said.

The Summer Reading Program is a big event for the library each year.

“We do the month of June. I ask resource people to put on a program. Our first program this year was the LaFollette Fire Department. The kids learned about fire safety, got to have their pictures taken with Sparky the Fire Dog and also under supervision get to check out the fire engine. It’s always educational and fun and is one of our best programs and it’s totally free,” Green said.

Another favorite program is comedian and puppeteer Gene Cordova, who is from LaFollette and operates Cordova Creations. On the last day of the program, the library always holds a pizza party for the kids.

“There are so many benefits to having a summer reading program; It enhances reading skills, boosts memory skills, build self-confidence and more. It is proven through studies that kids are much better readers when the go back to school,” Green said.

Another fun thing the LaFollette Library is doing is a children’s program starting Wednesday morning at 10 am with a reading of The Hungry Caterpillar!

“We want to bring people in so they can see everything we offer at the library. We can copy, we can fax, we have wireless internet, computers, books, DVDs and so much to offer,” Green said. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 07/03/2024-6AM)

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