Three hundred and sixty-five days ago, on Monday, October 7, 2024, the Todd County Public Library had its official “soft opening” with over 200 patrons celebrating the long-awaited opening of the 12,900 square foot facility located at 507 South Main Street.
Built by C&C Contracting of Russellville, Kentucky at a cost of $4.1 million dollars from a grant from the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA), the new facility has seen much change from its initial opening last fall. A visitor to the library in April, Allen Polk of Huntsville, Alabama, shared upon his first seeing the library that it could easily fit in around the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Allen, a TCCHS graduate with military experience, shared in his comments that he was in awe of the spaciousness and design of the building.
A visitor to the library today will immediately be greeted with two display cases; currently, the cases are chocked full of memorabilia and artifacts from patrons’ visits around the world. Countries represented include among others Hungary, England, Australia, Holland, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Ecuador, Sweden, and Hawaii. A frequent visitor to the library, a gentleman from Madisonville, shared the building was very welcoming and a major upgrade to the previous library located on East Main Street. Susan Carroll, a former trustee who served as president of the Library Board during the library’s planning and early months of construction, added the library is a beautiful facility and a wonderful gift to Todd County. She also shared her grandchildren love to come to the library because of its inviting appeal. Omar Figueroa-Navarrete, a senior at TCCHS who has worked at the library for over a year, stated, “I can see the transformation of the library from its initial look last October to its many improvements of today.”
Since its opening last October, the library has seen the addition of electricity to an electronic sign from Trio Signs of Hopkinsville that welcomes visitors to the library while also promoting activities occurring at the library. The building has also seen the addition of lighting on the back parking lot area. The lighting, which provides illumination that covers the back parking lot as well as the two sides, adds to the safety of both visitors to the library as well as library staff. On the west side of the building under the covered portico, a handicapped entrance was added in recent months to accommodate not only those handicapped but parents with young children who need an easier route into the building. The lighting of the flag pole was also completed late last year as the flag pole serves as a beacon welcoming the public to the long-awaited facility.
Scattered throughout the building in most rooms are new furniture pieces, artwork showcasing the county and its artists, book displays, and informational materials assisting the public with events occurring at the library as well as around Todd County. One of the most frequently commented attractions to the library is the collection of flowers in the children’s reading area as well as the menagerie of ‘animals’ as someone enters into the main area of the library. Those colorful items, which are on loan from Elkton Baptist Church, are frequently a photo shoot for parents and grandparents with their little ones.
As true of any facility or home, creating a welcoming environment takes time, and next week will see the beginning of a mural in the children’s reading area. The mural, one that will be painted by Kim Daniel Rager, will serve as a focal point for one of the most widely used areas of the library. Kim, a retired educator and a local artist, is known for her and Darlene Groves’ drawing of the Elkton mural on the side of “The Lucky Cowgirl.” Yes, much has occurred at the library during the past year. Hours of operation for the library are Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM until 7:00 PM and Friday and Saturday from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM. Its phone number is 270.265.9071.
Article by Carolyn L. Wells
October 7, 2025
