Commissioners Hear Presentations From Library, Heritage Center

By Shannon McFarlin WENK/WTPR News Director

Paris, Tenn.–The Henry Co. Commission Monday night traveled into the future and back to the past with presentations from W.G. Rhea Library Director Kathy Collins and Paris-Henry Co. Heritage Center Director Suzy Herron.

Both educated commissioners on the programs offered at both facilities and County Mayor Brent Greer said both provide important functions to the local community.

Collins said, “The libraries that you and I grew up with are a thing of the past. Yes, we still have books, but libraries had to change and adapt with the times and we have so much more than books now that we offer our patrons.”

She showed commissioners the types of materials that are available to the public at no charge, from VOX books to MPs players, launchpads, and apps that are available to anyone with a library card that allows them to access books free.

The library has a constant flow of classes for all ages, teaching coding, cubelets, robotics as well as all levels of computer classes. She said very young children are taking the coding and robotics classes “and they’re having so much fun, they don’t realize they’re learning.”

Popular events include the Bob Ross Painting Party, which drew a large crowd, classes in string art, the summer reading program which will begin June 1, and the pre-school story hour.

Collins brought materials for commissioners to view during her presentation.

Greer said the services provided by the library are intriguing to him. “I saw Kathy give a presentation a few weeks ago and I was really impressed at what is offered there. Our challenge as a community is to improve our workforce and we have an opportunity right here to start early with the children and even adults with these programs.” Local senior citizens also will be receiving training in how to use laptops through a grant, he said.

Herron focused on the programs and events available at the Heritage Center, which she said, “We are the community’s line to the past. We can’t really appreciate where we are now unless we know where we were in the past.”

The Heritage Center has several standing exhibits which showcase local history, such as Grove School, Camp Tyson and the Civil War, the governors of Paris and more.

The ‘Lunch and Learn’ events are becoming popular, she said, with 63 people attending the recent one which spotlighted the “Bloody Monday” duel in Paris at the turn of the century.

Herron said, “We’re described as the jewel of West Tennessee” and she encouraged the public to use the facility for meetings, weddings, parties, and receptions.

In other business during the meeting, the commissioners appointed Gary Benton to the county planning commission; Mary Grooms to the board of zoning appeals and Ricky Stafford appointed as assistant death investigator.