GRAVETTE -- Melinda Griffin, volunteer director of the Sulphur Springs Library, was the guest speaker for the Gravette Kiwanis Club meeting Friday morning, Jan. 6. She gave a brief history of the library, relating that a library had operated sporadically since the 1980s but had been closed for about seven years in early 2022 when she was asked by Marcy Steele to serve on a committee to organize a library and then to serve as chair of that committee.
Griffin said she was asked to be on the committee because she had been volunteering for a few months at the Gravette Public Library. She first visited the Sulphur library on Feb. 22, 2022, and discovered it needed extensive reorganization and remodeling. Weeding of outdated and duplicate books was also needed, so she went right to work.
"I love a good project," she said.
It took about 5 1/2 months before the library could reopen because she kept adding new projects, Griffin said. After pulling up the old carpet, she discovered the flooring was in very poor shape. Volunteers soon came to sand and refinish the floors. Shirley Barber, another volunteer, headed a fundraising drive to purchase new matching bookcases Griffin desired, and funds were quickly raised with donations from several community members. Griffin posts a shoutout each Saturday on the library's Facebook page, thanking various library supporters.
Griffin supervised book sales and other fundraisers in the months before the library opened. A summer reading program was held even though the library was not yet open, to highlight the library's presence and get local children involved.
A library open house was held on Aug. 27, and the library opened on Aug. 30, 2022. Open hours are currently 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The library has 5,376 items available for checkout, including 300 DVDs. About 45 patrons visit the library about once a week.
Griffin outlined current programs, including a Wednesday storytime for toddlers, participation in the national 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program, and monthly events tailored for various patron age groups. These events have included a "Meet the Author" and book signing with local author Beverly Gibson, and "Make It and Take It" craft sessions for area teens. Youngsters are given reading logs and when they have read and rated 20 books, they are eligible to receive a prize.
Griffin expressed great appreciation for the Bentonville-Bella Vista branch of Altrusa, which has donated many books for both children and adults. She also thanked Karen Benson, director, and her "topnotch" staff at the Gravette Public Library, who provided her training for her role at the Sulphur library and continue to give her guidance and advice. She acknowledged the tremendous support she has received from the city of Sulphur Springs and the Sulphur Springs community.
Griffin has four main goals for the library, she said. She would like to organize an active Friends of the Library, fill in the missing volumes in current book series, expand existing programs and get WiFi for the library.
"Libraries are no longer just places to be quiet and select a book," she said, but are now community hubs that provide a variety of information for local citizens, so Wifi is very needed.
Following Griffin's presentation, Dr. Nancy Jones, club president, presented her with a donation of children's books and a rug for the children's area of the library.
In the agenda at the short business meeting, Dr. Jones announced that the work day at the Beatrice Johnson Youth Camp was postponed because of bad weather. She asked for volunteers to assist with the Terrific Kids program at Glenn Duffy Elementary School and announced upcoming meetings on Jan. 20, with speakers from Care and Share, and on Jan. 27, with the Kiwanis Club district governor as speaker.
Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND
Melinda Griffin, volunteer director for the Sulphur Springs Library, speaks to members and guests of the Gravette Kiwanis Club Friday morning, Jan. 6. Griffin gave a brief history of the library and an overview of current features and programs. The Kiwanis Club gave a donation of children's books and a rug for the children's room to the library.