By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

HARPERSVILLE—The Harpersville Library was bustling with excitement on Aug. 7 as town residents gathered to celebrate the library’s grand opening.

A ribbon cutting was held at 10 a.m., followed by cake and refreshments in the children’s room of the library.

“It’s good, hectic, but good!” Harpersville Library Director Marsha Moore said. “We had a good turnout.”

The Harpersville Library recently moved from a small metal building on Alabama 25 to the historic Borum-Darby house across the street. The move began after the Harpersville City Council approved the lease of the Borum-Darby house during a February meeting.

“It’s really been a community effort,” Harpersville Mayor Theoangelo Perkins said.

Moore along with library volunteers, residents, town employees and members of the Harpersville Fire Department worked to move the library’s nearly 15,000 books and DVDs into the new building. The Shelby County Commission pitched in, donating furniture for the new space.

The library’s new home features a spacious welcome foyer, a large children’s room and play space, a computer area, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and plenty of comfortable chairs to read in.

“People have been really excited,” Perkins said of the new library, noting the more than 100-year-old Borum-Darby house is the “ideal spot.”

Harpersville did not have a library when Perkins began campaigning for mayor 11 years ago. After he took office, the library was established in a metal building on Alabama 25.

“It worked well at the time,” Perkins said, but noted recently the library “needed a larger building.”

The Harpersville Library is located at 39414 Alabama 25. It’s open Mondays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesdays from noon to 8 p.m., Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.