The staff of the Collierville Burch Library hosted a luncheon on Thursday, September 30, to celebrate 20 years in the building at 501 Poplar View Parkway. Director Lisa Plath led a short roster of speakers who reminisced about the early years (and locations) of the Collierville library, the break from the Memphis/Shelby County library system, and the construction of the building at the current location.
Plath’s opening to the hour and a half luncheon coincided with an overhead slideshow that gave attendees to the lunch the history of Collierville libraries in pictures, from the black and white photos of the bookmobile years and on through the library’s progression into ever more distinguished housing. When David Halle and Elsie Burch provided the site and funding for the current building in the early 2000’s, it opened the door to building the full service information hub that the Town’s library is today.
Betty Cowan Only, daughter of the Town’s first librarian and driving force behind the Friends of the Library group, gave a speech which could be titled “Who remembers?” and had members of the audience raise their hand if they did remember the person, place or event she spoke of. Only remembered a lot, and she displayed her wit as well as her memory in recounting the early years of the library in Collierville.
Lucius and Elsie Burch, Jr.’s grandson John called the library a “refuge” and said he was amazed at the variety of programs available at the library.
“I noticed everything from how to take care of yard chickens, to needlepoint to various book clubs,” said John. “Collierville should take an extra amount of pride in this library because it’s an independent library. It’s a place for books, but also a place where people, families, and children, young and old, can come to and have a refuge. I want to thank you. You’ve come a long way. I am so impressed, and I know my grandparents would be as well.”
There are still to ways to participate in the library’s 20th anniversary celebration. October 10 is the deadline for the Middle and High School student video competition. The videos should promote the library’s offerings with the theme “Best. Deal. Ever.” Submit to https://www.colliervilletn.gov/videocontest.
