03/30/05 — Celebration to mark Wilson library expansion

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Celebration to mark Wilson library expansion

By Dennis Hill
Published in News on March 30, 2005 1:45 PM

WILSON -- The Wilson County Public Library will hold a grand opening on Saturday, April 9, to celebrate a an expansion and complete remodeling.

The library has undergone a $5.3 million expansion that has doubled its size to 44,000 square feet and also remodeled the existing library, originally built in 1939. The project has taken three years to complete.

The grand opening will be held from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. on the library lawn and inside the library, which is located at 249 W. Nash St.

The public is invited to the free event, which is sponsored by the Friends of the Wilson County Public Library, a non-profit support group to the library.

The day will feature a keynote speaker, a storyteller and children's author, two fiction authors, tours of the library, and special events for adults and children.

"The Friends of the Library is pleased to bring a renowned group of authors to Wilson for this celebration," said Linda Matthews, president of the group. "We also have the great privilege of having Dr. LeRoy Walker as our guest for the ceremonial opening. We invite everyone to come help us celebrate."

Activities will be held for all ages, including games, face painting, a fortune teller, hat making and dancing. To mark the occasion, all those who attend will be able to sign a large, commemorative "book" and share in the cutting of a giant celebration cake.

The reopening of the library coincides with Wilson County's 150th birthday celebration.