Those who have driven by 507 South Main Street in Elkton in recent weeks will have noted the new Todd County Public Library is making major headway in its construction and in it’s moving closer to completion.
The new Library, which will encompass approximately 12,900 square feet at its completion, has been made possible through a grant from the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA). The grant, which will provide $212,150 yearly for 20 years, allows the Library to occupy its first new construction facility since its inception in the late 20th Century. Total cost for the construction is approximately $4.1 million, a figure just slightly higher than what was expected in the 2021 KDLA grant application. Contractor for the South Main Street project is C&C Contracting, LLC of Russellville, Kentucky. Following approval of a grant submitted to the KDLA, the Library’s Board of Trustees received news late in 2021 the Library had been approved for the KDLA Grant, thus allowing for debt retirement for the new construction. It is important to note The Public Library Facilities Construction Fund Grant Program was designed to improve local library facilities around the state.
Work on the interior of the new building is definitely noteworthy as a primer and one other coat of paint have been completed in most of the interior. Other major changes on the interior include the placement of tracks for the ceiling inserts which will be added once more paint has been completed. Tilework in two major restrooms has also been completed, and the sprinkler system throughout the building is also in place. The addition of lighting fixtures throughout the building will also soon occur. Of note in the center of the building is a huge, vaulted ceiling area that leads to a cupola that serves as an attractive highlight of the structure. Also of note in relation to the cupola and the back windows of the building are the use of stationary ‘sun shades’ that are designed to provide shade to those areas. Obviously, restroom fixtures will also be added once more interior work has been completed. Once painting and the installation of cabinetry have been finished, luxury vinyl plank flooring (LVP) will be added, a project that will occur much closer to the completion of the building.
The exterior of the building has also seen much activity with sidewalks for most of the walkways having been poured. Dirt work is also being completed around the facility, and the exterior will also see the addition of asphalt as the work heads toward the finish line. Exterior lighting on the building will soon take place, and the facility will also see the completion of the membrane roof with workers currently adding ribs to create the illusion of a metal roof. Visitors to the site will also note the use of industrial gutters around the facility, and visitors will also notice the completion of the covered canopy for the Bookmobile, an area that will allow easy access to the Bookmobile driver as she loads and unloads materials from her Bookmobile routes.
The new facility on South Main Street will provide for the public an estimated 9600 additional square feet under its roof, thus better meeting the recommended size requirements for libraries and better accommodating children, teens, and adults. The current Library, one that has been in operation since 1989 at its 302 East Main Street address, provides 3300 square feet, so the expanded new Library will have much more space to accommodate the needs of the public. Josh Cates, the project manager for the facility, stated in recent days, “It is amazing how much better this huge facility will meet the needs of Todd Countians.” Building committee meetings are occurring on a regular basis, thus keeping the Todd County Library Board Trustees; the Todd County Library Building Committee; Gary Violette, architect for the project; Mrs. Charlotte Lyons, the Todd County Senior Citizens’ Center Director; and other interested parties abreast of the Library’s progress.
At its completion, the new facility will stand as a testament to the foresight so many Todd Countians have demonstrated as they have worked tirelessly to find the resources and a suitable site for a new facility. One past Trustee shared, “This will be a legacy for individuals like Helen Rogel, who worked passionately to provide Library services for the county; the late Anise Warden, who managed and saved resources for a future new Library; our current director and staff who are planning for the future; previous and current trustees; and many others who are contributing to the endeavor.” All involved also express thanks to Kelvin and Lorie DeBerry, Brad and Mandy Shemwell, the late Guy Mallory, and the Guy Mallory family. The DeBerry and Shemwell families, partners in local real estate investments, sold the South Main Street property several years ago to the Library trustees at a discounted price as the board anticipated future construction. The late Guy Mallory and the Mallory family also donated, prior to Mr. Mallory’s death in 2018, an additional piece of land enlarging the new site to its current size.
~ Article by Carolyn L. Wells
March 30, 2024
