Shepherdstown Public Library welcomes community to new location, with ribbon cutting ceremony

Shepherdstown Public Library Director Hali Taylor cuts the ribbon in front of the library's new location on Friday. Courtesy photo
SHEPHERDSTOWN — The Shepherdstown Public Library officially opened the doors of its new location on Friday, right outside the outskirts of town, at 145 Higbee Lane.
Cotton candy, cupcakes and cherry snow cones helped welcome donors and community members to the new building at its ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony.
Hans Fogle, a former disc jockey on WEPM radio and the current Jefferson County Schools public information officer, served as master of ceremonies for the event. SPL Director Hali Taylor was first to take the microphone and thank those involved with making the building become reality.
“This building has been in the works for 15 years,” Taylor said. “This has been a project with dozens of hands-on deck, and I thank each and every last one of them.”
Terrence Kramer, who serves as board president for the Shepherdstown Public Library, had kind words to say about Taylor.
“Hali Taylor has been a motivator that inspires all of us,” Kramer said. “We have had a dream team of architects put this together, and we couldn’t have asked for a better result of such great effort.”
Recycled wood from the walnut trees that stood where the library now stands, provided seating for some of the onlookers at the opening ceremony.
The Friends of Shepherdstown Library also promoted their new Giving Circle donation program. The Giving Circle program will help fund the community garden planned to go next to the library, which will be maintained by volunteers from the community, called “Garden Stewards.”
FOSL President Robert Sisk gave details about the planned garden during his speech at the ceremony.
“Pollinator-friendly and local plants will be brought to the library,” Sisk said. “We can continue to turn this former dump into a place for our community.”
The silent phase of the campaign to build the library saw $2.35 million raised. An additional $2 million was raised once the campaign went public. Taylor further expressed her thanks to all the donors who made the new library possible, prior to cutting the ribbon in front of the building.
“This building would not be possible without all of you,” Taylor said. “Libraries are no longer just places for books; they are information centers.”
New collections have been donated to the library, now that the library has room to grow its collection in a larger space than it previously occupied. The new building complies with all guidelines set by the American Disabilities Association.