The Mission of the Sevier County Public Library System

The mission of the Sevier County Library System is to provide the community books and information it needs for its educational, intellectual, recreational and professional pursuits. The Library offers these services at the main library and both of our branch libraries.

The library serves the needs of the community, not only with books, videos and books on tape but by offering computer/internet access for the public, childrens programs, a variety of outreach programs, and a meeting room for public access. The library also has a large variety of magazines for reading or for checking out and we have all the local newspapers. If you have any questions or would like to check on ordering a book from another library, our well trained staff would be happy to help with doing so. We are presently raising funds for the building of our new library. We hope to have this done within the next couple of years.

History of the Library

(The following article was taken in part from The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Sunday, November 24, 1968)

The Library holds open house from 2 to 5 p.m.

Just about everybody got into the act to move the one-room library from its 28-year-old home in Masonic Temple to a $166,00 modernistic facility of some 6000 square feet on Court St. Fifteen firms or individuals gave $1000 or more apiece. some 25 otheres gave less. Uncle Sam served up some $100,000 and TVA, while constructing its flood project here, hauled earth for the library site.

Four years ago, the new library was barely a dream - shared mostly by Mrs. Gene G. Hickey, wife of physician John M. Hickey. She believed Federal funds could be obtained and sept trying to obtain services of a public relations firm to put the program together for public approval. S.H. (Bo) Roberts, a newspaper man here in Sevierville, and an assistant to Gov. Buford Ellington, succumbed to Mrs. Mize's plea and became executive director of the Sevier County Library Foundation. "All at once we had an organization. Meeting after meeting followed. Many people became involved. "We worked together, never believing it couldn't be done, and this weekend we can show patrons and backers their dream come true."

EVERY DOLLAR VITAL

Sevier County Court and Judge Ray L. Reagan, "found" $25,000. Sevierville and the Mayor Roy C. Newman, $75,000 more. The Library Services and Construction Act provided $83,000 and the Appalachian Commission's $26510 grant came just in time. Every dollar was vital - even from such firms as Cherokee Textile Mills, Lambert Bros., and the Sevier County Electric System.