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By Jim Buice
For the Clemmons Courier

The new library in Clemmons is close to completion, but an opportunity still remains for community members to be a permanent part of the much-anticipated facility through the purchase of an engraved brick paver.

According to the Village of Clemmons website, “By donating, you will be a partner in enhancing the Clemmons Branch Library experience. Opportunities are available to memorialize and honor family, friends, organizations or institutions.”

A limited number of brick pavers are available for $250 each to support the new library. Those who are interested can stop by the current library at 3554 Clemmons Road to pick up forms, or they can be found and downloaded from the Forsyth County website at forsyth.cc.

Village Manager Scott Buffkin said that Deputy County Manager Damon Sanders-Pratt mentioned that the new library itself was close to being finished but that there will then be an additional period of time to account for the extensive physical move from the current library — along with training for the staff with all the new systems and technology.

The latest projection is for the new library on Stadium Drive to be ready to open in March.

Buffkin said he and council members Michelle Barson and Mary Cameron recently joined him in touring the facility and came away impressed with what they saw.

“It’s going to be really nice and a great addition to the village,” Buffkin said.

The price tag on the new library, which is just over 20,000 square-feet and will be more than twice the size of the current library, will be around $6 million.

“I think it’s going to be a big hit with the public,” Buffkin said. “There will be many technology updates, and there are quite a few private meeting areas and so many more amenities than the current library. I’m personally impressed and happy with what they’ve put together.”

Buffkin added that selling the engraved brick pavers was just one of the ways to help support the library. Naming rights are also still available for rooms within the new facility with prices varying depending on the size of the room. A broad range of giving options are available, enabling donors at all levels to participate.

Cameron, who has taken the lead on the project along with Don Adamick from the Friends of the Library group, said she was one of the first to buy a paver. She said that there are three lines for the text with 18 characters per line for each paver.

It’s an exciting time with the upcoming transition to the new library, but what will become of the current library, which is owned by the county and has been among the highest circulating libraries in the county with over 20,484 registered borrowers checking out more than 150,000 items last year, according to the Clemmons website.

Buffkin said that question was posed to Sanders-Pratt, but his reply was no decisions have been made with what will happen with the current facility.

“There were some comments from a community member about making it into a community center or a senior center or any number of other uses,” Buffkin said. “All that warrants further discussion, but that facility is owned by the county, so the Village does not have much say. For now, the highlight is selling these brick pavers and the anticipation of the opening of the new library.”

Want to more?

Those who are interested in purchasing an engraved brick paver can stop by the Clemmons Branch Library at 3554 Clemmons Road to pick up forms or they can be found and downloaded from the Forsyth County website — forsyth.cc — and then by searching at the top of the page and clicking on “Departments” and then on “Library,” followed by “About Us” and then “Locations” and “Clemmons.” Then scroll down the left side of the page and click on the “Support the new Clemmons Branch Library with the Purchase of a Paver.”

The form can then be downloaded and either be emailed or mailed to the addresses below (with checks made payable to the Forsyth County Public Library):

Email:
ippolidc@forsyth.cc
Mail to: 
Attn Danielle Ippolito
Forsyth County Public Library
660 W. 5th St
Winston Salem, NC 27101
For more information, call 336-703-3012.