The Blue Ridge community officially has its own library branch.
The Greenville County Library System’s Blue Ridge branch opened its doors to the public at the beginning of the month. Though new to the area, it has already made its mark — garnering several new memberships for the library system.
“The community has absolutely been so welcoming. Everybody comes in, is excited to be here and excited that we’re here,” says Branch Manager Amy Grubbs. “So we’ve really enjoyed getting to know them and now being able to offer them services close to their home.”
Grubbs says that her team at Blue Ridge helped over 200 people create accounts with the Greenville County Library System within two weeks of opening. According to library officials, the decision to add a branch in the Blue Ridge community stemmed from the popularity of their Bookmobile services in the region. The Bookmobile is a traveling library that makes stops throughout the county in areas that are farther away from a permanent library location.
The Blue Ridge branch has designated areas for teens, children and those wanting a little extra quiet.
The program had a stop on Fews Bridge Road in Blue Ridge that was very popular, said Grubbs. After watching the community grow for a while and seeing continued success at the Bookmobile stop, the library system decided to establish a branch. While the Bookmobile will no longer stop in Blue Ridge, the community now has access to permanent, more extensive library services.
“We’re here to help our community thrive — whether that’s through entertainment or knowledge or technology,” Grubbs said. “We want to be able to help them with what they need help with.”
The process as a whole has taken years, with the library system working to acquire property, hire a designer and construct the building. Once everything was set in place, the team began developing their opening day collection.
Staff at the library sorted through hundreds of boxes of new books, ranging from classics to non-fiction to children’s literature. When stocking a brand-new library, Grubbs says they try to cover all genres in their collection.
In addition to books, the library offers public computers and printing services to its patrons.
Patron recommendations are encouraged as the branch’s collection continues to grow. Library cardholders can submit up to three formal suggestions per month for the collection online.
“Now that we’re open, we always ask the community for their input. I am happy to take their ideas in what they want to see at the library,” Grubbs said. “We want this community to know that we’re here and ready to serve them in whatever way we can.”
In January, Grubbs says the Blue Ridge branch will start having more regular activities and events. Some expected programs include children’s story time, LEGO club and teen art programs. For more information on Blue Ridge Library’s events, visit their website.
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