By By Fredie Carmichael/The Meridian Star
Nov. 14, 2001
More people are borrowing books from the Meridian-Lauderdale County Library now that a $150,000 grant from the Riley Foundation has improved the reading selection.
Steve McCartney, the library's director, said the grant enabled the purchase of more than 10,000 new non-fiction books.
McCartney said the library recently spent the last of the grant money. He said he initially applied for the grant more than two years ago, expecting to receive $75,000 to $100,000.
McCartney said the old non-fiction section deteriorated over the years because of insufficient funds for new books. All new books have labels inside that acknowledge the Riley Foundation's grant.
McCartney said his library has had a significant increase in adult book circulation since he began buying the new books two years ago. He said the library had a 7 percent circulation increase in 2001.
Fredie Carmichael is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call him at 693-1551, ext. 3228, or e-mail him at fcarmichael@themeridianstar.com.