Pamlico County breaks ground on new library after years of fundraising

Welcome! Down in the County is a publication that focuses on the folks and living history of Pamlico County, N.C.

Over a hundred happy people gathered on one side of the old Hardee’s in Alliance on Feb. 17. The grass was mowed. The large windows were clean. There was a podium, a cake and a poster of what the new library will look like.

North Carolina Sen. Norm Sanderson, one of the people who helped secure state funding for the library, was there. Speeches were short, ending with a wide smile and words from librarian Sidney Phibbons.

“Let’s build a library!” she called out.

The physical groundbreaking began with Phibbons digging into the front lawn of the former fast food restaurant with a gold-painted shovel surrounded by supporters. Sanderson followed suit, followed by the kids in the crowd. Then, anyone who wanted to, was able to dig into the hard ground and pose for a photo.

Libraries are often seen as a symbol of the community they serve. For the people of Pamlico County, having a standalone library dedicated to the county’s many needs has often felt more like a dream than something obtainable. But the contract is now signed and the library is contracted to be finished in a year.

“It’s been five years since the Friends of the Library started this process of buying the property, raising money and raising awareness, and we really needed some tangible evidence that things are moving forward,” Mary Hiatt, vice president of Friends of the Library, said last week. “But until people can see something is happening at the old Hardee’s building, it’s like, now it’s real. For the people at large, they need to see this. And even for those of us who have been involved, it’s great to know that it’s going to happen.”

Using the existing Hardee’s structure and modifying it helped lower the cost. Though the price tag might seem high, it is half of what an average new library this size would be, Hiatt said. The cost estimate is $2.2 million to $2.5 million for the 10,000 square foot structure.

The library will include a large conference room that can seat 100, flexible walls to make it smaller or larger, small meeting rooms, study rooms, an internet cafe, a business center and a commercial kitchen, which could be used for job-skills training for people with special needs..

Two things the building won’t include due to cost are skylights and entrance-way trawlers, which would have served as an homage to Pamlico County and the region’s fishing industry.

The hardest part of the past five years, Hiatt said, was the fundraising.

“None of us are professional fundraisers. And we are all volunteers,” Hiatt said. “Some people who gave money were asking, ‘Where is the money?’ It was hard to explain things that people couldn’t see, like structural repairs, insurance, general maintenance, investments, the Walker group consultants. We were still asking for money and not having a lot yet that we could show for it.”

Over those five years, Hiatt said, she spent a lot of time educating the community about what this library will be.

“It’s not just the library that you are used to seeing. It is a multi-use community center for networking and where non-profits can meet,” she said. “There is a lot of need around here — and it makes sense that people are questioning why do we need a fancy library. But now we are not hearing as many responses like ‘is it too fancy for Pamlico County?’”

One of the things the FOL decided to keep was the donated books area. It has been near Pamlico County High School, where the library is currently housed and shared with the High School. “We don’t really make money from it, but people love it,” said Hiatt. “Right now, all of our donated books are in a white trailer. We will be moving the trailer (to the Hardees).”

She said the FOL are still hoping for a backup generator and a transfer switch. “It’s not a sexy item. Not critical,” she said. “But it would be nice to have because when we have bad hurricanes, a lot of people come to the library for power and internet to fill out insurance claims and contact relatives. While it isn’t a shelter, it could be a gathering place (during) a natural emergency.”

There are additional features that still require funding, like a car port for the tech-mobile, which provides mobile internet and technical services around the county, and a children’s literary garden. “Would be nice to have outside spaces to teach about gardening and wildlife. Or a musical playground. We still have work ahead,” Hiatt added. “We still have wishes and dreams. But these are not things we have to do to open the doors in a year.”

Mary Hiatt wanted to express a deep thank you to all who make the library possible, especially Richard and Carolyn Bartz (FOL treasurers), Bonnie Cap (FOL president), Katherine Clowers (Craven-Pamlico Regional Library director), Sidney Phibbons (Pamlico County Library branch manager), Walter and Peg Vick (Pro bono architect and fundraising chair, respectively) and N.C. Sen. Norm Sanderson.

Donate and become a vital part of growing a visual and written history of Pamlico County.

Down in the County has its own Instagram page! Check us out @downinthecounty or on Facebook here.