Beech Tree News Network

On Friday, June 13th, past and present librarians, city and county officials, authors, school board members, as well as other members and leaders in the community, gathered on Main Street to celebrate the groundbreaking of the brand-new Butler County Public Library. 

Butler County Public Library Board member Cody Henderson opened the ceremony and recognized Kenna Martin, Director of the Butler County Public Library, for her hard work and dedication to bringing the new facility to life. The Kentucky Department of Library and Archives awarded the long-term grant. This type of grant was designed to help small counties fund debt payments for upcoming years. Butler County Public Library is projected to be completed in 12 months. 

Butler County's current public Library is a staple in the community and has been for the past 50-60 years. However, the new library will also include a meeting room, two small study rooms, a creativity room, and will serve as a GED testing site. It will be a place of learning and building connections for years to come. Creating a brighter future for the youth of Butler County was a huge part of the "why" for this project, according to library officials. Children in the community were involved in the groundbreaking ceremony by donning hard hats and shovels to make their mark on the foundation of the future library.  

Not only will the new Butler County Public Library benefit the youth, but it will also benefit anyone else who is willing to take advantage of new opportunities. Butler County Schools and Mrs. Amy Smith-Thomas partnered with Kenna Martin and the Butler County Public Library to make the GED testing facility possible. 

"Once the Library opens, testing will be every Wednesday. It will keep the community from traveling to test. It will benefit my students and inmates specifically, as well as the entire community, in hopes of increasing education county-wide. Having GED testing in our very own Library will reduce travel costs and provide new opportunities," says Mrs. Smith-Thomas. 

Members of the Butler County Public Library Board include Naomi Lucas, Connie J. Embry, Sarah Duncan, Cody Henderson, Christy Havens, and Kenna Martin, who serves as the director. The architect for the project is Brandsetter Carroll Inc. The construction manager is Alliance Corporation. The MEP Consultant is CMTA Inc., the Site/Civil Consultant is Brandsetter Carroll Inc., and the Landscape Architect is Brandsetter Carroll Inc.