overview of library system

1. BOLIVAR COUNTY LIBRARY
SYSTEM
Established 1958
THE MISSION OF THE BOLIVAR COUNTY LIBRARY
SYSTEM IS TO SERVE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND
DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS PROMOTING EASILY
ACCESSIBLE
INFORMATION, MATERIALS, SERVICES, AND
PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO MEET THE COUNTY’S
EVOLVING EDUCATIONAL, RECREATIONAL, AND
CULTURAL NEEDS.
WWW.BOLIVAR.LIB.MS.US

2. Brief History
 “Bring Cleveland Up-to-Date ----- The D.A.R.
asks your cooperation. March 18th, a house-
to-house canvass will be made to solicit books
and members for a Public Library. Adult
membership $1.50; children $.50. Mrs. R. B.
Johnson, Regent; Mrs. R. N.
Somerville, Chairman.” (1917)
 First Library was in a room at the Methodist Church
 Early libraries were established in
Rosedale, Merigold and a Carnegie Building in
Mound Bayou

3. HISTORY
 Established as a Library System by the Board of
Supervisors in November 1958
Governed by a 5 member administrative board appointed by

the Board of Supervisors
 First there were branches and a bookmobile that
served the communities
Some branches have advisory boards

Cleveland Library Commission

 Rosedale Advisory Board
 Shelby Advisory Board

4. HISTORY
 First Director was LePoint Smith
 Since 2000
 Mound Bayou Public Library opened in the St. Gabriel Mercy
Center in 2002
 Benoit Public Library was expanded and remodeled
with the assistance of the Friends of the Library in
2004.
 After the Gunnison Public Library was
burned, along with city hall, a new building to
house the library and city hall was built by the city.
The library was reopened in 2005.

5. History
The Field Memorial Library in Shaw was burned twice and

after fund raisers by the citizens and the city of Shaw, a
store front library was opened in 2005.
Thema Rayner Memorial Library in Merigold was remodeled

with funding from the city in 2007.
R.T. Hollingsworth Library in Shelby renovated the meeting

room with a grant from the Department of Archives and
History and the Citizens of Shelby.
Robinson-Carpenter Memorial Library in Cleveland received a

renovation and new roof in 2008 with funds from the City of
Cleveland.

6. Hours:
Monday – Thursday
9:00 – 6:00
Friday
9:00 – 5:00
Saturday
9:00 – 1:00
662-843-2774 (phone)
662-843-4701 (fax)
ROBINSON-CARPENTER
MEMORIAL LIBRARY

7. HOURS:
Monday, Tuesday and
Thursday
1 :00 – 5:00
662-742-3112
(phone/fax)
BENOIT PUBLIC LIBRARY

8. Hours:
Monday – Wednesday
10:00 – 5:00
Friday
12:00 – 5:00
662-759-6332
(phone/fax)
ROSEDALE PUBLIC LIBRARY

9. HOURS:
Tuesday and Thursday
1:00 – 5:00
662-747-2201
(phone/fax)
GUNNISON PUBLIC LIBRARY

10. HOURS:
Monday and Wednesday
10:00 – 5:00
Thursday
1:00 – 5:00
662-754-4597
(phone/fax)
FIELD MEMORIAL LIBRARY
SHAW

11. HOURS:
Tuesday and Thursday
1:00 – 5:00
662-748-2105
(phone/fax)
THELMA RAYNER MEMORIAL
LIBRARY
MERIGOLD

12. HOURS:
Tuesday and Thursday
1:00 – 5:00
662-741-3255 (phone)
MOUND BAYOU PUBLIC LIBRARY

13. HOURS:
Monday and Wednesday
10:00 – 5:00
Friday
12:00 – 5:00
662-398-7748
(phone/fax)
DR. ROBERT T. HOLLINGSWORTH
PUBLIC LIBRARY
SHELBY

14. SERVICES
• Books, Magazines, CDs,  Free Public Access
Books on Computers
Tape, Videos, Newspaper Faxing

s Black and White and

Color Print and Copies
ONLINE RESOURCES Free Use of Meeting

 MAGNOLIA Rooms
 Ancestry Plus Free loans of materials

from other libraries
 Oxford American
Afro-American
 Learning Express

15. SERVICES
 Story Hour  Special Programming at
Branches
 Summer Library
Program  Membership as a
Dancing Rabbit Library
 Teen Advisory Group
 Programs for all ages

16. Funding
Mississippi Library Commission
$125,543 (20%)
Bolivar County
$289,200 (47%)
Cleveland Mississippi Library
$125,647 (20%) Commission
Bolivar County
Rosedale
$10,800 (2%) Cleveland
Shaw Rosedale
$16,000 (3%) Shaw
Shelby
Shelby
$17,000 (3%)
Miscellaneous Miscellaneous
$32,900 (5%)
Total
$617,090

17. EXPENDITURES
 Personnel Personnel
$400,425 (65%)

Utilities, Supplies, C
omputer
 Utilities, Supplies, Comp Maintenance
Materials
uter Maintenance
$182,898 (30%)

 Materials
$34,000 (6%)

 Total $617,323

18. The Future
•S M A L L J O B A N D B U S I N E S S C E N T E R I N F O R M A T I O N
•M O R E P R O G R A M S F O R T H E P U B L I C
•B O O K C L U B O R L U N C H E O N W I T H B O O K S