The public will have its first glimpse at a new addition to the McBurney Memorial Library in Welsh during its grand opening on Saturday. The new 2,875-square-foot addition includes a public meeting room, private study carrels, storage, restrooms and a small prep kitchen. (Doris Maricle / American Press)

Jeff Davis Parish Library Director Michael Staton is looking forward to the opening of the $1.3 million expansion of the McBurney Memorial Library in Welsh.

“I’m excited because this will be the first time the public has had a chance to see the facility,” Staton said. “But organizationally, we’re excited because it gives us our own space to be able to not only put programs on, but it provides a space for the community to be able to use for certain types of programming that they can utilize the facility for.”

“And I think the public is going to be excited to see that we really tried to be good stewards of their money by giving us our own space for programs and providing a space for the community to use.”

The grand opening is set for 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, May 31 at the library, located at 305 South Sarah Street.

The celebration will be a fun-filled event for all ages, featuring a petting zoo, photo booth, face painting, temporary tattoos, an escape room, games, prizes and more. Popcorn, hot dogs and drinks will be available as long as supplies last. The Crochet Band will provide music for the festive atmosphere.

The celebration marks an exciting addition to the library – a brand new 2,875-square-foot space. According to Staton, this new area will help ease crowding in the main library and provide valuable reassures for the community. It will feature an 85-person meeting room, along with two private study carrels, storage, restrooms and a small prep kitchen. A covered walkway with a convenient drive-thru book drop-off has also been added connecting the new addition to the main building and the parking area has been expanded.

Staton hopes the new building will showcase how the modern library is evolving beyond just books.

“I have been in libraries for almost 20 years, and I would be a rich man if I had money for every time I heard, ‘I didn’t know y’all did that, or I didn’t know yall offered that, or that type of thing,” he said. “If you’re not a regular library user, you tend to have sort of an antiquated version of a bunch of people shushing people and that sort of thing. But we’re so much more than that now….We still have the books, we will always have the books, but we have a lot more than books.”

“Our goal is to be a safe and positive space for children, teenagers and adults alike, providing the programs, resources and services that the community needs,” he continued. “We still have kids that want to come here and look forward to coming to a library and getting books and reading.”

He said the Welsh library is one of the highest performers as far as programs and events. He hopes the newer, larger space will draw even more people to participate in programs and services.

He also hopes the library will become a central gathering place for the community, offering valuable resources, especially since it’s situated in a neighborhood area where many patrons frequently use bicycles and golf carts to get around.

Initial plans for the expansion involved taking down the west wall of the existing building, which opened in 1973, to create more space. However, due to rising construction costs that pushed the project beyond $3 million, the plans were adjusted to focus on adding a new building expansion.

“We didn’t want to have to go after a bond or ask voters for additional tax dollars,” Staton said.

He attributes the success of the project to the financial planning and vision of former library directors Dr. Linda Corbello and Clare Coleman.

Looking ahead, Staton said potential future additions could include a covered pavilion for a farmers market and an outdoor area for moving screenings.