Library’s future stirs excitement, debate in SW Atlanta
Southwest Atlanta residents gathered Thursday night at the Stewart-Lakewood Library to learn more about the Fulton County Public Library System’s initiative to replace older libraries in the system. The library system plans to close Stewart-Lakewood Library once a new 25,000 facility has been constructed.
Sometimes it’s a good idea to take a step back and see the forest from the trees.
That’s what happened Thursday night at Stewart-Lakewood Library, where southwest Atlanta residents packed the room to learn more about Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library System’s effort to bring a new 25,000 square ft. library to the area.
In November, the Atlanta-Fulton County Library System announced its intent to build a new branch at 1332 Metropolitan Pkwy, which is currently anchored by the old – and currently vacant — Capitol View Baptist Church on the corner of Manford Rd. and Metropolitan Pkwy.
The announcement stirred emotions among residents, hopeful that the new branch can help spur a renaissance along Metropolitan Pkwy.
“We want change and development in this community,” Sylvan Hills resident Barbara Runyan said. “I really like the location, because it would really encourage people to make more changes in the area.
We want to bring more people into our community.”
With seemingly so much at stake and with so much hope attached to the symbolism of a new library, the announcement also revealed a difference of opinion.
Specifically, not everyone agrees about the best location.
“Both myself and Flora Tommie collected over 1,900 signatures of petitioners who are petitioning to have it at the corner of Metropolitan and Avery Rd.” a spokesman from the neighborhood said. “It’s a beautiful space with green space.
It gives us the opportunity to expand further down Metropolitan Ave. [sic], and not just keep everything towards Dill.”
Thursday’s meeting provided a forum to discuss this difference of opinion and outline the process used to select the new library’s location.
“Our three team committee went out at different times of the day and had a scoring system for what would be used by kids, children, families, bus routes, commercial development,” a representative said on behalf of the library board of trustees. “ We had to think about persons working there; where they can go out to eat, safety, lighting – a number of things that we considered.
We all came up with different recommendations, and they all pretty much came out the same.”
And even though Fulton Commissioner Joan Garner said Thursday’s meeting was an opportunity to hear from local residents, it also communicated a message about the process.
When pressed by Atlanta City Councilwoman Joyce Sheperd, Garner acknowledged that the library system has made its final decision.
“The board of commissioners has said this [1332 Metropolitan Pkwy] is the site,” she said. “We are now in negotiations on that site.”
Negotiations could always fall apart, leading to the selection of the Avery Rd. site, Garner added.
But unless the unforeseen happens, southwest Atlanta residents can expect to see service begin at the new library late 2013 or early 2014, according the Atlanta-Fulton County Library System director John Szabo.
“The bonds – that the voters gave the board of commissioners authorization to issue and sell – those bonds have been sold for phase I,” Szabo said. “The money’s in the bank to do all this work.”
I went to Perkerson Elementary in the late 60s and Sylvan in the 70s so I spent lots of time at the Stewart Lakewood Branch of the Atlanta Public Library. I do understand and acknowledge that a new, larger, more modern facility would help contribute positively to the area. I also realize that the economics and practicality of keeping the SL branch open wouldn’t make sense. Still, for me that Branch is a true anchor of the area and I would hate to see it go. I used to go there after school and read books. I once recall reading the book “The French Connection” (later made into the popular movie) over a period of a month. They wouldn’t let me check out the book because I wasn’t old enough but they had no problems letting me sit there are read it !
Some of those old school Librarians were like wardens – If you acted out and got too loud you got the boot. If you asked them where to find a given book you would get a stearn look and a mini lecture on learning the Dewey Decimal system. I spent lots of time thumbing through the “card catalogue” trying to find reference books for my various projects. They also had a rotating book stand of paperbacks when you walked in – sort of like a book store. Many times I didn’t make it past that as it had a wide variety of books. One of the many things that used to bother the Librarians was when the kids would come in with sticky fingers from eating ice cream at the nearby Dipper Dan Ice Cream shop. Around the start of the 70s the bathrooms started accumulating lots of graffiti so they installed a chalk board and put up a sign that said “if you must write anything then please write it here”. That was hilarious.
Stewart
March 15, 2012 at 1:33 pm
Any updates on this project?
gmallory
January 18, 2012 at 6:58 am
As of today, according to an Atlanta Fulton County Library System communications person, there is still no update on the negations with the property owner at the Dill/Metropolitan site.
swatsmatt
January 25, 2012 at 3:04 pm
Thanks for compiling this! (I unfortunately missed the meeting.)
A.D.
December 14, 2011 at 10:48 pm
Incredible job detailing the meeting for those who couldn’t attend. Thanks for all you do Matt!
DC fan
December 13, 2011 at 10:39 am
This is great, thanks Matt! Looking at the photos was more fun than the meeting, although that wasn’t too painful either. I think people made good points to the decision makers. Sure hope the library comes to us. Monica
Monica McAfee
December 12, 2011 at 9:24 pm
Lovely slideshow, but no commentary? No sound, just pictures here of residents and outside officials.
ladynyo
December 9, 2011 at 12:10 pm
There’s more to come. I am working through my notes, listening to the audio.
swatsmatt
December 9, 2011 at 12:24 pm