The Bolivar-Hardeman County Library
“Everyone is welcome here. This is a place to take your time, to feel comfortable; it is a little refuge from everyday life,” that’s how Library Director Jessica Phillips (see photo right) describes the Bolivar Hardeman County Library. “Everyone is equal here – everyone has the same library card, the same access to our collections. There is no platinum or special access card – everyone has the same opportunities at the library.”
The library has been providing those opportunities to the community since 1954. Prior to that time, one of the state’s 14 bookmobiles made regular stops in Hardeman County. It was the ladies of the local Tuesday Literary Club who decided a more proper library was needed for the town of Bolivar. Miss Lillias Bills, a former Tuesday Literary Club member, donated more than 2,000 books from her private collection to the project. Other books were donated by the Bookmobile program and from other citizens. The Club was able to secure a location, and members cataloged and processed the thousands of books for the new library and opened it to the public in May 1954. Over 1,500 books were circulated in the first two months of operation.
In 1958 the library was moved to the third floor of the Hardeman County Courthouse. This location had one frequent complaint from its patrons – having to climb three flights of stairs just to visit the library! In 1961 the City of Bolivar and Hardeman County agreed to purchase the old Church of Christ building next door to Maxwell’s as the library’s next location. By August of that year, the collections were moved and the library was able to offer more books, newspapers, and magazines, as well as more programs for the public. When the library began to outgrow this location, plans were drawn up for a new library building at the corner of Washington and Jefferson Streets in Bolivar. This location opened in 1976; an addition to the building in 1992 more than doubled the library’s size.
Today the library has over 28,000 items in its inventory including books, DVDs, magazines, audio books, newspapers, and a few unique items. For many years local bakers have been able to use the library’s collection of character and shape cake pans. “The cake pans are always a popular item for patrons. The entire collection was donated to the library many years ago,” Phillips said. A fairly recent addition to the library’s collection is disc golf equipment.
“To me, the library is really the hub of a community,” Phillips said. “The library is a free resource to everyone. We really do get to know and care about our patrons. If a patron hasn’t stopped by in a while, we will check up on them. We have built years-long relationships with so many of our patrons and their families.”
Cheryl Avent, who has been with the library for 18 years, has fond memories of going to the library each week as a child and remembers what a special time that was for her. “It is wonderful to be able to be a part of providing those kinds of memories for our child patrons, and the adults too. The library is really a resource for so many things – patrons are able to use our computers, or the Wi-Fi, ask a question, or find a book they have been looking forward to reading.”
Vanessa Lambert enjoys helping patrons who are doing genealogical research. “We really have a lot of varied resource items, many specific to Hardeman County and West Tennessee. We have seen an increase in people who are interested in their family genealogy. The ability to get their DNA information and the genealogy television programs have made people want to know where they come from, who came before them.” Lambert says two genealogy searches that she assisted with stand out to her. “We had one individual who had never seen a photo of a family member and we found it through our resources. Another search helped an individual learn they have ties to the British Royal Family.”
The Friends of the Library program believes that the library is a valuable asset that must be nourished and supported. The Friends actively supports the library through volunteering, raising public awareness, and fund raising. “The Friends are able to provide items and projects for us that fall outside of our yearly budget,” Phillips said. Recent projects by the Friends include purchasing special supplies, painting and cleaning areas of the library, and renovating a storage area in the building. For more information about joining the Friends, contact the library.
Librarians don’t just help others with books, they are also readers. “My favorite books are Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor’easter by Lisa Patton,” said Phillips; “Where the Crawdads Sing was the most popular book at our library during 2023.” Avent says two of her all-time favorites are The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare and Christy by Catherine Marshall. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and books by David Balducci are favorites of Lambert.
The library’s Summer Reading Program has long been a favorite with Hardeman County children. This year’s program will kick-off on June 7 at 10:30 with a program by The Science Guys; programs will be held throughout June and July. The library has a wide variety of programs each month for all ages. “We have senior adults who love and look forward to programs just as much as the children look forward to their programs,” Lambert said.
“I will always remember one day when I helped a little boy and his mother with a school project, helped them find books and online resources” Phillips remembers. “Several days later he came by the library just to let me know he had made a 100 on his project. I was so proud of him for the work he did and for taking the time to come back and let me know his grade. Days like that, when you know you have really helped someone, whether it is with research, a book recommendation, or just being part of providing a refuge for them for a little while, those days are good reminders that libraries are making a difference in the lives of our patrons.”
Photos: Always ready with a book recommendation for their patrons – Jessica Phillips, Library Director, Becky White, Assistant Director, Vanessa Lambert, History Room Clerk, and Julia Bobbitt, Library Clerk (not shown Cheryl Avent, Circulation Desk Manager)