After more than a year of planning, the new $2.2 million East Hancock Public Library is moving closer to reality.
The library is a first for the Diamondhead area, which has never had a public library.
Resident Evelyn Necaise said the library could not have come at a better time.
“We have so many children now in Diamondhead. The families and our senior citizens have been making that 20- to 30-minute drive to Bay St. Louis just to get to the nearest library,” said Necaise.
“Residents here have been asking when are we getting our own library. I know that this new facility will be greatly appreciated by all who will use it on a daily basis.”
The new 5,000-square-foot library is in the design phase. It will be built near Hancock Medical Center in Shepherd Square, behind Diamondhead Shopping Center.
Scheduled to open within a year, it will serve the Diamondhead, Fenton and Dedeaux communities.
“We have been aware of the need for a library in that area for some time,” said Patty Furr, director of the Hancock County Library System.
“We installed a book drop near the Diamondhead Fire Station about four years ago, and we had to replace it recently with a much-larger one, as it was always full to overflowing. I couldn’t be more delighted to have a full-service branch in that area, as the Library Board of Trustees and I believe it is clearly needed.”
Funding for the new library is part of the $200 million federal Community Block Development grant awarded to Bay St. Louis, Waveland and Pearlington to rebuild community infrastructure.
The Hancock County Board of Supervisors recently approved the library project; it is being planned by the Hancock County Library System administrative team, along with Dean and Dean Architects.
It will be a full-size, full-service library and will include a public-access computer area, a large meeting room, a children’s library and a teens’ section, and will have a modern book, CD and DVD collection available to patrons.
“The design and colors will be based upon the theme of the river life,” Furr said.
County officials said once the design process is completed the blueprints can be released to begin the bid process.
“There is nothing we would like better than to have a beautiful, finished library ready for the East Hancock residents by late next fall or Christmas,” Furr said.
