Started with just two rooms above what used to be Whitehead’s Grocery on Ninth Street in historic downtown Leeds, the Leeds Public Library was established in 1923.

Residing in its present location since April of 1981, the Leeds Library, now known as the Leeds Jane Culbreth Library has been a staple of the Leeds community for almost 90 years.

Envisioning the next step for the library, Mondretta Williams, current Leeds Library director since 2008, her staff and dedicated Leeds citizens are making it their mission to erect a new state of the art library.

The new site will be located in the vacant lot where the old city hall used to be (across the street from Windstream).

Having held several fundraising drives over the last year, the Leeds Public Library Foundation (LPLF) still has a long way to go in order to generate funds for this multi-million dollar development.

Hosting events like Pennies for the Library, a school wide fundraiser held at Leeds Elementary School (LES), Library Secrets After Hours Party and a Friends of the Library get together, fundraising efforts are gearing up at full speed.

Trying to build a new library for the past 20 years, Williams believes it’s going to happen this time.

With the support of the City of Leeds who contributed the parcel of land the new library will call home, the community is also doing its part to make this dream a reality.

For instance the first graders in Mrs. Lyn Hopkins’ class at LES raised over $25 for the new library building fund. Their reward was a pizza party in their classroom brought to them by Leeds Library’s children’s director, Karen Carroll.

“This is one of the greatest parts of my job. Getting to be a part of things like this,” said Carroll.

Letting the students know what their money is going towards, Carroll explained that the new library will have a stage in the children’s area, a community garden and what Carroll hopes will be an enchanted forest full of fairy houses.

“The money you donated helped a lot,” said Carroll.

Describing the books they like to read, several girls said they love Justin Bieber books, while the boys like reading about Power Rangers and Transformers.

When asked what inspired her class to bring in the most money, Hopkins replied, “Our love of reading.”

Incorporating weekly trips to the library during the summer, Hopkins said it’s all about their love of books.

Not only are children in the community excited about all of the possibilities of the new library, long-time residents are too.

With forecasted areas such as an enclosed courtyard, a lobby that will also serve as an art gallery, a large meeting room, a conference room, an in house Friends of the Library Bookstore, an area for city archives as well as an actual young adults area, the new Leeds Library will be a true Leeds Landmark.

To contribute or see the model of the new Leeds Jane Culbreth Library, visit the library located at 8104 Parkway Drive or call 205-699-5962.

Grateful for the money that has already been raised, the staff sends a message of gratitude to its contributors. “We appreciate your support and hope to see you, at the library in the near future.”