“The people of St. Paris and the surrounding community were so excited to have that gift given to them, and they have just continued to make it the beautiful building that it is today,” Director of the St. Paris Library Nicole Baker said.
The St. Paris library has two locations, the St. Paris Public Library and the Christiansburg Community Library.
Friday’s celebration included refreshments, raffle prizes, stories of the library’s history and what’s going on now and its plans.
The library is still working with its COVID-19 programming, Baker said. This includes providing grab-and-go bags for toddlers through grade 12.
“That has activities, snacks, things that encourage movement and reading,” Baker said. ‘We also have our summer reading program as well.”
The library is also making plans to use grants from the State Library of Ohio for story walks at Harmon Park, Christiansburg Community Park and Kiser Lake.
The library plans to resume all in-house programming in the fall.
The library has been a central point in the St. Paris community since its beginning but has transformed into a safe and welcoming place for anyone who walks through the doors, Baker said.
“I think the library has really transitioned into more of a community center,” Baker said. “Originally it was a repository for books. People would come in, they would get their books and they would leave. Now it’s a community center.”
Brenda Cook, who visits the library several times a month, agrees the library is a special place for the entire community.
“This is a wonderful asset for a small town. We have a tremendous library,” Cook said. “It’s just a beautiful facility and its open to everyone.”
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