VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - Libraries across America are bracing for funding cuts that could mean consolidating branches. The Lowndes County community already knows what that’s like after Hurricane Helene damaged their main library location.

The Willis L. Miller Library flooded within just seven minutes of its ceiling collapsing during Hurricane Helene. Now, books are being boxed and prepared for storage as the library waits to be reconstructed.

The library’s director of marketing, outreach and cataloging, Leslie Partridge, said, “Once they get started, they’re telling us it will be about 12-18 months.”

One of the many programs that had to find a new home is the Friends of the Library bookstore.

Dr. Beverley Richardson-Blake, Friends of the Library President, said, “Daycare centers, parents were able to come buy books for 25 cents. They are no longer able to do that.”

With the closing of the main library, Southside Library has seen an increase of nearly 300 patrons a day and increased programming to meet the need.

“We’re grateful that we have it and that it had just been basically fully renovated, and the addition had been made to the facility prior to the hurricane,” Richardson-Blake said.

Kathy James, McMullen Memorial Southside Library Manager, said, “We have had a great increase in our programs. We’ve added on more things for our kids, and they are in here everyday.”

The main library is in the early stages of planning to reopen, but staff hopes they will be able to support the Southside location in the meantime.

“When we open, we will be better than before. We will be able to remodel a few things, add a few more study rooms, so it’s going to be a lot nicer when we do reopen,” Partridge said.

South Georgia Regional Library has expanded its services to all library locations, encouraging patrons to use both physical and digital resources.

The Friends of Library is hosting a book sale at Southside Library in Valdosta on Saturday, April 26, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 27 from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. You can fill a bag with books for $5 at the sale.

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