There’s been some great news recently regarding the Shelby County Library system and some of its branches.

The Shelby County Public Library Foundation is recruiting active members to help solicit funds for the library system.

The library foundation was founded in 1997 by Mildred B. Harrison, just a few weeks before her death.

However, it wasn’t until recently that a group of active members began taking a renewed interest in the foundation. If the library system has managed to flourish without a group of active members soliciting funds, just think what may be possible now that active members are going after those funds.

Members include Helen Harrison Phillips, Helen Phillips Dean, Mary Hedrick, Kathy Davis, Bill Justice, David Nolen, Judge Dan Reeves, Beverly Hall, Phoebe Donald Robinson and Billy Jones.

There’s also been recent good news regarding Chelsea’s library, which has moved to a new location – the 100-year-old Crane house – with multiple rooms and original wood floors.

The Chelsea library had previously been housed in a one-room space at Chelsea City Hall.

The new location, which is the oldest home in Chelsea, will eventually include a park with a play area and gazebo in front.

Meanwhile, the North Shelby Library recently received one of 20 $1,000 summer reading program grants from the Young Adult Library Services Association and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.

The grant will help fund a large portion of the library’s reading program for teens this summer.

So far this year, the county’s library system has held health fairs at Alabaster, Heardmont Park and Shelby Woods. The library has held 20 programs with 3,834 in attendance.

For the rest of this year, the library anticipates holding 35 more programs with 1,200 expected attendees. The Senior Read program, scheduled for this fall, is a two-month program in which seniors will study the life and works of Louisa May Alcott.

There’s always something great, it seems, going at one of the libraries.

For more information on the library or library programs, visit Shelbycounty-al.org.

Brad Gaskins is a staff writer for the Shelby County Reporter. He can be reached at 669-3131 ext. 14 or by email at brad.gaskins@shelbycountyreporter.com.