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Sullivan Co. Branch Libraries
In 1946 a
Citizens Library Movement, chaired by Mrs. Sam Eanes, was formed to start a library in
Sullivan County. With a membership of 50 and a collection of 500 books, the Sullivan
County Library opened on January 2, 1947 in one room of the Sullivan County
Courthouse. The library relocated several times over the years: from one room of the
Mutual Insurance Building to three rooms of the old Blountville Elementary School building
on Franklin Drive then to Anderson Town House and to a storefront location on Route
37. In 1948 the main library had 50 book deposit stations throughout the
county (Sullivan Gardens, Colonial Heights, Bluff City, and Bloomingdale). The
library has had three directors: Mrs. Mattie Parris (1946-1971), Mrs. Roberta Slagle
(1971-1980) and Mrs. Kay P. Hamrick. Margaret Elsea is the Branch Manager; the
Assistant Branch Manager is June Feathers.
Today the
Sullivan County Library System consists of the central library in Blountville and four
branches located in different sections of the county. There are approximately
126,758 items in the system. The library not only provides books, videos, cassettes,
books on tape, CD ROMs, DVDs, it also provides free Internet access to on-line services,
and CD databases for its patrons. The library is located at 1665 Blountville
Boulevard, Blountville.
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Colonial Heights
149
Pactolus Road
Kingsport, TN 37663
Jo McDavid -
Branch
Manager
jmcdavid@wrlibrary.org
Phone: (423) 239-1100
Fax:
(423) 239-1100
Hours Of Operation
Monday - Saturday 9am - 5pm
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The
Colonial Heights Branch Library was the first branch of the Sullivan County Library System
and was organized in 1961. Originally housed in a garage of Reverend Pitzer Lyons,
the library was transferred to his office at the Colonial Heights Presbyterian
Church. Later the library resided in one room of the Colonial Heights Presbyterian
Church. Volunteers of the community ran the library until 1962.
In 1976
it was moved into the Colonial Heights OMNI Center, which had originally been the church's
parsonage. The Colonial Heights Friends of the Library raised money to furnish the new
building. In 1995 the library was moved to a new facility at the former Pactolus
Community Center near Sullivan South High School.
The first
Librarian at Colonial Heights was Mrs. Roma Hill who worked from 1962 to 1972. Other
librarians at Colonial Heights have been Jean Hagan (1972-1983), Kay P. Hamrick
(1983-1986), Jan Miles (1986-1989), and Peggy Sutherland (1989-1991). The current
Branch Manager is Ms. Jo McDavid; the Assistant Branch Manager is Betty Hill.
The library's location is 149 Pactolus Road, Kingsport.
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Bloomingdale
3220
Van Horn Street
Kingsport, TN 37660
Angela Taylor -
Branch
Manager
ataylor@wrlibrary.org
Phone: (423) 288-1310
Fax: (423) 288-1310
Hours Of Operation
Monday - Saturday 9am - 5pm
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The
second Branch added to the system was Bloomingdale Branch which was started by the
Bloomingdale Ruritan Club in 1962. It was originally housed in the Bloomingdale
Baptist Church and was financed and supplied by a volunteer staff from the Ruritans.
The
Ruritans purchased a lot on Van Horn Street in 1962 and began construction of the new
building in the summer of 1965 with members of the Ruritan doing most of the
construction. The library was moved into the new building in 1967. Librarians
at Bloomingdale have been Mrs. Kenneth Wade, Omeda Holt (-1987), Janice Tipton
(1987-2004), and Amy Lippo was
manager from (2005-2007). Angela
Taylor is the current Branch Manger; the Assistant
Branch Manager is Karen Matney. The library
is located at 3230 Van Horn Street, Kingsport.
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Thomas Memorial (Bluff City)
481
Cedar Street
Bluff City, TN 37618
Kathryn Nichols -
Branch
Manager
knichols@wrlibrary.org
Phone: (423) 538-1980
Fax: (423) 538-1980
Hours Of Operation
Monday - Saturday 9am - 5pm |
In 1949
Thomas Memorial became the third library added to the system. A collection of books
provided by the Watauga Regional Library were located in the Smith Drug Store which was
considered the first "community Library" in Bluff City. Mrs. Mabel Smith,
owner of the drug store, helped maintain the collection until her death. Through the
assistance of the Avoca Home Demonstration Club, a Sullivan County Branch Library was
opened in Avoca in 1964.
When
Avoca was annexed into the city of Bristol in 1973, the library was moved to Bluff
City. It was housed in a former parsonage provided by the First Christian Church of
Bluff City, until 1989 at which time the Bluff City Friends of the Library raised the
money to renovate the former post building on Main Street. The library was located
on Main Street until it was relocated to its current site. In 1992 the Thomas
Memorial Presbyterian Church was disbanded, and the building was offered to the county for
use as a library.
The
church was renovated by the county, and the Bluff City Library was renamed Thomas Memorial
Branch Library. Mrs. Florence Huffine was the librarian until 1976.
Mary Nell Stewart was also a librarian. The present Branch Manager is Kathryn
Nichols.
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Sullivan Gardens
104 Bluegrass Drive
Kingsport, TN 37660
Peggy Sutherland -
Branch
Manager
psutherland@wrlibrary.org
Phone: (423) 349-5990
Fax: (423) 349-5990
Hours Of Operation
Monday - Saturday 9am - 5pm |
The
fourth branch added to the system was Sullivan Gardens Branch. The first
"library service" available to the Sullivan Gardens area was a Watauga Regional
book deposit station. The book deposit station at the Sullivan School, under Mrs. Jo
Selby, was one of the first original 14 stations set up in Sullivan County.
In 1975
the Sullivan Gardens Optimist Club entered into an agreement with Sullivan County to
establish a branch library in a building provided by the widow of Walter F. Moody, a
former State Senator, sessions court judge and educator. The building was located on
Wilcox Drive across from the former Sullivan West High School. The library was named
Sullivan Gardens Moody Memorial Branch in honor of Mr. Moody. Optimists and the
Sullivan County Library Board renovated, furnish, and equipped the library. The club
members provided all the labor with the help of a Boy Scout troop.
When the
building housing the library was sold in 1981, the Friends of the Sullivan Gardens Library
formed to provide a new building for the library. The Sullivan County Library Board
granted permission for relocation of the building on the grounds of the Sullivan Gardens
Middle School. The Friends of the Library successfully raised the funds for the new
building, and the library was re-opened August of 1981 with a new name, Sullivan Gardens
Library. In 1997, an addition was made to the building. Judy Barrett was the
librarian until her retirement in 1990. The current Branch Manager is Peggy Sutherland:
the Assistant Branch Manager is Nancy Shelton. |

© 1999 - 2008 The Watauga Regional Library
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