Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, August 4, 1995 TAG: 9508050014
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: TONYA WOODS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
According to Barbara Yarbrough of circulations at the new Bedford Central Library, that's what someone did about a week ago. Since the grand opening of the library last Saturday, one patron has returned videos that had been out since February. At $1 a day for three videos, that would amount to a fine of about $543.
But people who may have been embarrassed or unable to afford to return overdue library material have until Saturday to do so without being fined.
In conjunction with the grand opening of the $2.4 million facility, library officials are offering amnesty to those who return overdue books and other materials. Not only does that keep more books on the shelves, but also it encourages people to come to the library.
"It helps us get our materials back," Yarbrough said. "This should encourage people to bring books back so we can check them out for somebody else to use."
Plus, "we wanted to do something nice for the community," said Tom Hehman, library director. "We were closed for several weeks during the move, and we wanted to make up for that."
"This is a big change from the old building," Hehman said, referring to the Wharton House, which is right next door.
That's where the library's children's center was housed until 1993, he said. But for the past two years or so, both the adult sections and children's center have been in the Wharton House. During that time, Hehman said, library attendance dropped by a third.
Since the new building opened, people have come into the library, picked up a magazine and relaxed comfortably, Hehman said.
He believes that's the least the library can provide for Bedford residents, who pitched in to move 20,000 books to the new library. As many as 100 people a day for two days formed a "book brigade" from the Wharton House to the new building: Each book was passed from hand to hand until it took its place on a new shelf.
The library is a 26,500-square-foot addition to the old Bedford Library, which was built in 1942 and had only 2,560 square feet. In addition, 7,500 square feet of unfinished space can be used for expansion.
The new library was built around the old one. One room on the second floor, which will hold historical information about the city of Bedford and Bedford County, has a brick wall of the original Bedford Library.
Among the new features are a youth and young adult center and the Bedford Room, which seats about 100 people and is available for meetings of community organizations. The library is also equipped for additional computer technology.
NOTE: Shorter version ran in Metro edition.
Memo: ***CORRECTION***