NORTH AUGUSTA — The Nancy Carson Library reopens Aug. 29 after being closed for most of August for renovations.
“A lot of our patrons are going to be really excited to see this,” said Barbara Walker, library manager.
A ribbon cutting is scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday to mark the completion of the $1.86 million project. Major funding for the renovation, approximately $1.3 million, was provided by Aiken County Government’s Capital Project Sales Tax IV program. The Friends of the Nancy Carson Library Foundation contributed an additional $400,000, the State of South Carolina provided a $100,000 legislatively-directed infrastructure grant, and the ABBE Regional Library System provided the remaining $65,000 to complete the project, according to information from the library system.
The renovations included the addition of study rooms, a small conference room and a dedicated teen space. The children’s section has moved to a large area in the front of the library and may only be used for children or the adults who bring them to the library.
“We have a wonderful kids’ area with brand new furniture,” she said. “Before we had one study room that could seat two people comfortably. You could maybe squeeze a third one in. The small meeting area can seat up to 12 people.”
The smaller rooms provide space for book clubs to meet as well.
Additional seating areas have been created and technology has been updated throughout with new furnishings outfitted with electrical outlets and USB ports.
The large meeting room in the back of the library isn’t quite finished. The room received some kitchen equipment which allow non-profit groups using the space for meetings to serve refreshments. But new lighting will be installed.
The employee break room received some upgrades as did their workspaces.
One of the study rooms will be named in memory of long-time newspaper columnist Don Rhodes, who died in June 2023.
Walker said Rhodes was always willing to lend his expertise to any program she planned.
“We would come up with the idea, and he’d fill out the program,” she said.
One such program highlighted the music of the Civil Rights era. Rhodes had interviewed many of the performers highlighted through the event during his time at The Augusta Chronicle and came up with the content with ease.
Work began on the project on Nov. 20, 2023, and it’s been a massive project, she said.
“It’s been really amazing considering what they’ve done,” she said. “Having to be in the building while all of this is going on, we’ve seen the workers cutting trenches to put pipes in the floors.”
While Walker and her staff have been surprised at the behind-the-scenes of the renovations, the crew doing the remodeling has been surprised about the library as well.
“The guy in charge has really been amazed at the number of people coming up to the door trying to get into the library while we’ve been closed,” she said. “I guess he figured a lot of people didn’t use the library, but it’s a constant stream of people.
Although a ribbon cutting is set for Aug. 30, Walker said a larger celebration is being planned for Dec. 5.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for 36 years. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
