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uture of depot library uncertain
Y BETSY GAGNET
jre is much uncertainty what will occupy the refurbished train depot i St. Louis.
i original plan called for cond floor of the building occupied by the L.W. •son Genealogical Li-However, a dispute over
terms of the occupancy has arisen between Bay officials and Anne Anderson, the director of the library.
At the heart of the dispute is the number of hours per week the library would operate. Anderson informed city officials that she is personally able to staff the library three
days a week.
The City has requested the library be open at least five days a week.
“We wanted something that would bring people into the depot area, but three days a week just isn’t what we intended,” Bay St. Louis Mayor Eddie Favre said. “We assumed she
knew it was full-time.”
Anderson said the City was aware the library was only open three days a week when it was located at 827 Dunbar Avenue. The library moved to Dunbar from William Carey College in Gulfport.
There is no executed agreement between the City and
lign at Bay High
Anderson concerning the depot space. A contract was presented to the City by Anderson’s attorney but it was never perfected by the two sides.
Despite a lack of formal agreement, however, the second floor of the depot was designed specifically with the intention of placing the library there.
Kevin Fitzpatrick, architect of the project, said he spent several hours with Anderson on the phone and in person interviewing her to accommodate her needs. The finished project is equipped with eight microfiche carrolls, complete with handicap accessibility, a library break room and a security system.
The second floor was “absolutely tailored made to her requirements,” said Fitzpatrick. “In my opinion, it’s not designed so any tenant can use the space.”
Legally, there are restrictions as to what can occupy the depot. Only non-profit businesses or for-profit businesses which are related to transportation can operate there.
Anderson was originally approached by Charles Gray, president of the Hancock Historical Society, to consider moving the library to Bay St. Louis. The library had been moved from William Carey when the building where it was housed became too small and was deteriorating.
“I felt having the library here would be a great asset to the community,” said Gray. “It is one of the finest genealogical libraries in the country.”
Grav went with Mike