MERIDIAN, Idaho — In 1924, a group of women in Meridian saw the need for access to a public library. The Meridian Library District is reflecting on 100 years of public service and turning the page on what's next for local book lovers.
- Learn more about the MLD and their Centennial Celebration.
- In August the Silverstone library branch on Orchard Rd will close.
- Taking it's place in South Meridian, the Meridian Library at Pinnacle will open late September.
(Broadcast Transcription)
July 17th, 1924, The women of the Occident Club formed a library club with the goal of bringing public library services to Meridian.
“We’re happy to now have 4 branches across our library district,” said MLD Director Nick Grove.
Grove tells me it wasn’t until 1974 that the name ‘Meridian Library District’ was written into existence, "50 years ago, the Meridian Library District formed when the Occident Club’s Meridian Library merged with the Meridian Public Library," Grove says.
Throughout the years, and the explosive growth in the last decade or so, the district has worked to maintain its resources for residents, most recently opening the Orchard Park branch in North Meridian.
“We’ve been doing this 100 years, and unlike other libraries across the country, we’ve seen great turnout, [as we] continually are growing our services,” said Grove.
This week the district is celebrating the centennial achievement at each branch.
“So on Monday we started at Tiny, yesterday we were at Cherry, today we’re at unBound, tomorrow we will be at Silverstone, and then finishing up on Friday at Orchard Park,” said Grove.
One of their most unique spaces, unBound in Downtown Meridian, offers the public areas to design, meet, work with each other and more.
“And then over here we have our Create space, we have our laser cutters, our desktop CNC machine, and our 3D printers,” said Grove.
A new chapter for South Meridian residents as the Silverstone branch on Overland Rd will close at the end of August. In its place, Meridian Library at Pinnacle has been under construction since last year.
“[The new library] will more than double the space of Silverstone and have dedicated areas for staff and for programs and we’ll be able to greatly expand our collection,” said Grove.
