SULLIVAN’S ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - After around eight months of closure, the Edgar Allan Poe Library on Sullivan’s Island will officially reopen Tuesday morning with a brand-new look.
The library has been closed for renovations as part of the $108.5 million referendum project passed by Charleston County voters back in 2014 to build five new libraries and renovate all existing branches. This library is the last branch to be renovated before work begins on the Main Library in downtown Charleston.
The renovations to the Edgar Allan Poe Library include refurbished bathrooms with new flooring, all new paint and furniture and upgraded IT systems.
The building has been around for almost 120 years, so it was in definite need of a refresh.
As part of the renovations, the library was completely rewired with all new outlets, so library leaders say they are excited that there will no longer be any dead zones in the library and the Wi-Fi will reach every corner.
The branch manager for the library, Delores Schweitzer, says they have also given their collection a complete refresh, so patrons can expect to see a lot of brand-new books.
The library was named after Edgar Allan Poe who was stationed on Sullivan’s Island with the U.S. Army in the 1800s.
Schweitzer says she can’t wait to continue sharing the fun stories and history of the library.
“I think what I’m most excited about is to see our patrons and our visitors again. We get so many people that come in and wander into our building because they just are really intrigued by the building, or they see that it’s got Edgar Allan Poe on it and they know that there’s a story there and we are a place of stories,” she says. “This building itself being as old as it is, it has lots of stories to tell and we get to share those here so that makes it really fun.”
For Schweitzer, it means the world to her that county taxpayers have chosen the libraries as a priority, as the libraries offer so many things beyond books.
The libraries include all kinds of technology and resources and programs for county residents to enjoy. She says she loves to see people enjoy the new, refurbished libraries.
“I think it is just the delight in the faces of the people from the county that come in and they see refreshed spaces, better functionality, excited staff who are happy to share programs and services with them and they’re able to do that easier now because of the investment that the county taxpayers have made for us. It’s been phenomenal to see that kind of excitement in libraries that they just, you know, buzz with energy when you go into any of our libraries,” Schweitzer says.
Schweitzer says she has missed being in the library after it was closed for such a long period of time. She is eager to open it back up and to continue engaging with the community. She says she can’t wait for everyone to see all the new parts of the library that they can enjoy.
“I think you know a lot of our programs that we run here, like our memoir and poetry groups and our book clubs and all they celebrate stories and so we get a chance to share stories with people but also engage and hear their own and so that’s one of the things I’m really excited [about]. I’ve missed that a lot in the last several months not being able to do that. So, I’m glad to be back for it,” she says.
The grand reopening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the renovated Edgar Allan Poe Sullivan’s Island Library will take place at the library’s location, 1921 Ion Avenue, Tuesday at 9 a.m.
Speakers from Charleston County government, elected officials and the library will all be in attendance to honor the grand reopening with a special guest appearance from Owlbert, the library mascot.
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