After 156 years in the same location, the Smyrna Public Library has closed, but the new Duck Creek Regional Library a block away is planning to open in mid-to-late May.
The Smyrna Library was founded in 1858 and moved into the building at 107 S. Main St. in 1869.
The final day of operation was March 15. Now the staff is boxing up about 25,000 books, plus DVDs, audiobooks and equipment, preparing for the move to the new library at 22 S. Main St.
“Leaving behind the old building is definitely bittersweet," said Library Director Pat Young. "We’re leaving a space that has incredible history. A lot of folks have grown up in this building and grown accustomed to a space that's very homey, very cozy.”
But Young said the lack of space “held us back from offering programs and resources this community deserves.”
“We’ll miss the hometown feel, but we’re looking for ways to bring that into our new space,” Young said.
The transition marks two dramatic changes – one that’s easy to see in the larger, modern building and the other, less visible change in who operates the library.
Moving from about 2,500 square feet to more than 22,000 square feet
The new library will be nearly nine times larger than the 2,500 square feet of space on the main floor of the former library. The old library has another 2,400 square feet in the basement, which was mainly used for storage with a meeting area for about 12 to 15 people.
“Now we’ll have a remarkable meeting space – state of the art – which will hold about 250 people. That opens all kinds of possibilities with a wide range of programming," Young said.
The meeting room has a retractable wall that can divide the space in half. Another meeting room for about 50 people can also be divided.
“That gives us a lot of flexibility to accommodate different groups at once," Young said.
The staff plans to “hit the ground running with a program schedule working with community groups,” Young said, while expanding the general equivalency diploma program, adding English as a second language courses, more craft classes and perhaps art and music.
Other major differences include a children’s wing, teen lounge, adult lounge, outdoor seating area and a drive-up window.
For the staff, spaces include two offices, a break room, a meeting room and a separate bathroom.
Kathy Messer is president of the Friends of the Duck Creek Regional Library which organized the fundraising campaign for the new building.
“This has been a wonderful experience but a very long one,” Messer said. “We're looking forward to crossing the finish line and opening this beautiful new library for the community.”
The idea for a new library was proposed about 18 years ago by the late Mary Turner who started holding meetings in her home for people interested in working on that goal.
“We believe we’re the only library friends group that began solely to build a library,” Messer said.
The land was donated by the town, while funding for the building came from the state, the federal American Rescue Plan Act and donations.
The construction budget is about $18.8 million.
Town no longer runs the library
The transition to the new library also marks a change in how the library operates.
The town operated the Smyrna Public Library and was responsible for hiring and paying the staff and paying the utilities. Town funds were supplemented with the Kent County library tax on properties in the Smyrna-Clayton area outside Smyrna town limits along with state money including from the Delaware Division of Libraries.
In recent years, the town allotted about $400,000 in its annual budget for library operations, said Smyrna Mayor Robert C. Johnson.
When the new library opens, the Friends group will turn over operations to the committee that will be running the library, led by Rick Horsey.
Then the Friends will become a support group for the library, pitching in with fundraising and help where needed.
The new library will be funded by the Kent County library tax on properties throughout the Smyrna-Clayton area including in Smyrna town limits, state funds including support from the Delaware Division of Libraries, along with a commitment for annual donations from New Castle County because part of the Duck Creek Regional Library District is in that county.
The library will also ask towns in the district for donations and will be accepting contributions from groups, businesses and individuals.
Donations to name rooms in the new library are now being considered. For information, see the Friends of the Duck Creek Regional Library website or call library director Young at 302-653-4579 or Friends president Messer at 302-242-8436.
What if I still have books I checked out from the Smyrna Public Library?
If people have books or other materials they borrowed from the Smyrna Public Library, they will need to return them at another public library in Delaware. Don't wait until the new library opens to return them, Young said.
The closest libraries include:
The Smyrna Public Library is closed and isn’t accepting returns.
Smyrna library cards can be used at other public libraries in Delaware including at the new Duck Creek Regional Library.
What’s happening to the old Smyrna Library?
The former library at 107 S. Main St. is also home to the Smyrna Opera House on the second and third floors. The building is owned by the town.
Plans for the former library space include providing a home for the Delaware Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and possibly more offices for the opera house.
Reporter Ben Mace covers real estate, development and business news. Reach him at [email protected].