The City of Martin is building a new library in town square, one that officials with the Martin Public Library Foundation promise will be an innovative win-win for both campus and community.
According to the Martin Public Library Foundation, the new library, located at the corner of Lindell and University streets, will contain many important modern innovations, including a Children’s Corner, a computer classroom, a sound and video recording studio, and a culinary/demonstration kitchen, amongst many others.
The library’s facilities will be open to the entire community, including study areas for students of all ages. College students will have the opportunity for employment as well as renting meeting rooms for student organizations. The demonstration kitchen, as well as the large banquet hall and four separate meeting rooms, can be utilized for catering and community events.
“Public libraries are the great equalizer of the community, and a fundamental point of democracy,” said Nick Dunagan, former UTM Chancellor and member of the Martin Public Library Foundation.
The idea for a new public library first came from David Warren, a library consultant and graduate of UTM. After reviewing hundreds of libraries across the country, Warren returned to Martin in 2014 and met with Martin’s mayor, expressing his desire to construct a library in the style of the 21st century .
The intention was to create a place with facilities equipped to address and handle modern concerns, as well as a place that would help Martin grow and thrive. As Dunagan states, a library should not just be a place for books and computers, but a place where individuals can interact and explore.
Some community members have expressed concerns over what will happen to the old library, as well as the area in the town square that used to be reserved for the annual Soybean festival. Dunagan assures that the Foundation plans on preserving both.
The new library will have a permanent 60-by-48 stage built into the north side of the building. This will help cut costs down for the Soybean Festival because the city will no longer have to pay for the stage’s annual construction and deconstruction. The stage will also be used for children’s events, possibly summer concerts, and other community events.
“Flexibility is a key part in the 21st century design of the library,” said Dunagan. “We want this library to be geared towards the needs of the community.”
As for the C.E. Weldon Public Library, Dunagan says the city has no intentions of tearing it down. Instead, Martin city officials want to preserve and repurpose the historic building, although the exact plans have yet to be finalized. Ideas include turning the 100-year-old building into a city museum or reestablishing it as a post office.
Either way, Dunagan encourages the citizens of Martin to become involved in the process by expressing and eventually voting for what they believe would be the best and most efficient use for C.E. Weldon Public Library.
As of this week, the Foundation has raised $1.41 million for the library project; however, Dunagan says they still need $88,000 to reach their goal. Dunagan says he hopes the community can become involved in its success.
For more information on the project, contact Nick Dunagan at ndunagan.utm.edu. To donate, visit online at martinpubliclibrary.org, or drop off your check and/or pledge card at the Office University Advancement in Room 318 Administration Building or mail to C.E. Weldon Public Library, 100 Main St., Martin, TN 38237.
