JENNINGS — The public got its first look Monday at the newly renovated Jeff Davis Parish Library following a nearly $500,000 renovation project.

The grand re-opening was timed to coincide 46 years to the day with the original grand opening, which was held for the parish’s first library on Main Street, and marked the building’s centennial, according to library director Linda LeBert-Corbello.

“The building has seen many patrons, activities, children’s programs and lectures over those years,” LeBert-Corbello said. “If the walls could talk…oh, the stories we would hear.”

The first library opened as a demonstration library at 526 N. Main St. and continued to serve the parish at the location until 1980 when it relocated to the former post office at the corner of Plaquemine and Cary streets, where it continues to operate today from its newly renovated structure.

“This location has quite a history,” Library Board of Trustees President Janice Esthay said.

Esthay read a 1980 newspaper article about giving a new lease on life to the former city post office as the new parish library.

Those attending the celebration toured the renovated library, viewed old photographs of the building and watched a PowerPoint presentation on the renovation project.

“As mayor of Jennings, I am fortunate to say that our city is gifted with two excellent library systems,” Mayor Terry Duhon said. “It is interesting to note that these two libraries function together in a most cooperative manner. Both have witnessed extensive renovations and both worked together to assist the other in maintaining library support during renovations.”

“We are pleased to know that two historic buildings have been refurbished to provide the citizens with services, activities and technology that go far beyond what was dreamed of 100 years ago,” he continued.

Meg Placke, a state library employee, noted that libraries are still essential in communities like Jennings,

Police Jury President Donald Woods paid homage to the honor and integrity of the work of the parish’s forefathers by recounting the history of the building at 118 West Plaquemine St.

“In the fall of 1914, construction was begun at the corner of Plaquemine and Cary streets on a post office building for the town of Jennings,” Woods said. “The building costs were about $45,000 and the building was completed in 1915.”

The post office continued operation at the location until Feb. 17, 1976, when the post office relocated its services to its current location on Broadway Street, he said.

Jeff Davis Parish was the last of the state’s 64 parishes to be approved for the establishment of the Jeff Davis Parish Demonstration Library in 1967, he said.

The demonstration library — funded by the state — would eventually include not only Jennings, but would incorporate surrounding towns, some of which had individual library systems established, he said.

The Jeff Davis Parish Demonstration Library, located at 526 North Main St., began with a grand opening celebration on Oct. 20, 1968. The demonstration library project was successful and the parish then assumed total responsibility for the library the following year, Woods said.

The parish provided funding by assessing a millage of 2 1/2 mills. Today, the library system continues to be funded by millages.

The Police Jury purchased the old post office building on March 23, 1977, for $60,000 to provide library services to the parish, Woods said. A $100,000 renovations project to turn the old post office into a library began on March 1, 1979, and was completed on Sept. 6, 1980, he said.

The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 20, 1982.

Efforts were made during renovations to retain as much authenticity and aesthetics of the 1914 building as possible including incorporating the original mosaic tile and cypress wood flooring which were found under the carpet.

The old post office’s catwalk has also been opened up to reveal more windows, which will display 12 Louisiana-themed fused glass works created by Frank Thompson of Moss Bluff.

A new front circulation desk and branch manager’s office were added along with new computer workstations and chairs, new tables and reupholstered chairs. A new wider handicap ramp was also added to the rear of the building.(Doris Maricle/American Press)