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The McComb Public Library,
headquarters for the Pike-Amite-Walthall Library System, opened in
its brand new building in March 2000. Citizens of Pike County
recognized the need for a new library for several years. The
McComb Rotary Club along with several library patrons helped spark the
initiative for building the library. McComb City School District
offered a 3.8-acre lot adjacent to Denman Junior High School. Voters of Pike
County approved a bond issue to build the library by an overwhelming 83
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The McComb Public Library was
first organized in January 1924 by the Business and Professional Women's
Club of McComb. Miss Annie Edwards, who served as club president
and the first librarian, helped inspire the club to seek donations of
books and cash to purchase materials. W. T. Denman donated the use
of space in the Denman-Alford Company building to house the books.
Two years later the library had outgrown its quarters and was moved to
City Hall. A full-time librarian, Miss Elsie Reigger, was
employed. The BPW Club continued its support with fund drives.
Library membership cards sold for $1 each.
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In 1933 the library moved to the J.
K. Dunn Memorial Building at the corner of Third and Pennsylvania
Avenue. This was seven blocks from downtown McComb. Its
location curtailed patron use, so it was moved back to City Hall.
Even in the midst of the Great Depression, the leaders and business
people of McComb supported the library. In 1941, the McComb
Library Board voted unanimously to make it a free public library.
The library also began planning for a new location. Thanks
to generous support, the library moved debt free into the McMaster building on
Third Street in 1956. |
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In 1963 the Pike County Board of
Supervisors renovated the old Post Office after the merger of McComb Public Library Association with the
newly formed Pike County Library. Mrs. J. T. Lyons was
employed to succeed Miss Eula Walker as librarian. Amite County
Library joined with Pike County Library in 1965. Mrs.
Jane Bryan became director of the two-county system in 1968.
Walthall County joined Pike and Amite counties to form the
Pike-Amite-Walthall system in 1977. Mrs. Toni James
began working with the library in 1975 and became director in 1981.
Gabriel Morley became director in December 2006. |
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The focal point of the children's area is the mural
on a curved wall in front of the children's story hour space. The wall
creates an intimate hideaway for children to listen to Miss Mattie tell
her Scooter Mouse stories. Scooter's house is positioned just above
the mural. Kaye Kaberlein painted the mural featuring Mother Goose and
other storybook characters.
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Funding for the mural came from the Mississippi
Arts Commission and a gift from the Junior Auxiliary of McComb.
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Library Board
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Izeal Bennett
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Virginia Burris
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Annette Conerly
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Dr. Lora Farmer
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Pat Smith
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Scooter's door, always lit and ajar, invites
children to wonder when he might appear. He often parks his scooter
nearby.
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The wooded, slooping lot allowed the architects (JH
& H Ltd) to create a tree-house ambience in the reading areas and the
children's story-hour space behind the mural. The windows
overlooking the grounds give natural lighting with a view for a pleasant
reading experience.
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The art gallery is equipped with
special controlled lighting to display works of art and artifacts to
their best advantage.
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The genealogy room features a tower with two
stained-glass windows commissioned for the library. The west window
is a painting of the old library (formerly a post office). The
south window depicts a train to represent McComb's roots as a railroad
town. The east and north windows display clocks, one with Roman
numerals representing the past, and the other a modern clock representing
the present. The windows were donated by Dr. and Mrs. W. T. Mayer.
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