I dropped by Maynardville Public Library to see what is going on and man is there a lot! In addition to their amazing way of seeing us through the pandemic with their interactive website, which offers online reading and something for everyone, library staff members have been busy refreshing and revitalizing the building inside and out, as we all look forward to getting out and once again enjoying public spaces together.

I found Librarian Chantay Collins applying unicorn spit to the mailbox. What is unicorn spit you ask? Unicorn Spit is a paint, gel stain, and glaze concentrate - all in one bottle. Anyway, that is just one of many changes at your Maynardville library because it has received a makeover! Tina Dyer of Painting With Expressions Studio and her team have done a fantastic job of giving the library a fresh new look. The county hired Dyer to paint the building and she and Collins collaborated to develop a fresh, modern look. The new grey and black color scheme is wrapping around the Senior Center and fire station also, so when the seniors return (hopefully in May) they will be greeted by the fresh new look.

But the really big news is that the library is starting a community garden! Cramped for space and seeking to make their garden very finger-friendly for seniors and young people alike, the plants will be grown using a system of buckets and PVC pipe to introduce water below the plant and allow it to draw water up as needed. Collins hopes to see carrots, herbs, Irish and sweet potatoes, lettuce, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini, growing in the container garden. Collins has no funding earmarked for this project, but she did have a small donation fund to be used at her discretion that she used to purchase soil; she’s just making good use of the resources that have been squirreled away such as the old slip and slide being used as a water barrier. She warns “If it stands still long around here it will get painted, reused, or up-cycled!”

Once the garden is producing, Collins plans to start a “No Kitchen Needed” cooking class using the vegetables harvested from the garden later this season. She was inspired to launch these projects by the opening of the new Farmers Market facility which is expected to be completed by late Spring. Collins hopes to incorporate having a chef teach a knife skills class. Another class will be how to make fresh salsa.

Collins is excited to share her vision with the community, and invites you to join in. If you would like to be a part of this exciting venture you can drop by the library to volunteer or donate supplies such as: 5-gallon buckets, seeds, empty milk jugs or 2 liter bottles, PVC pipe scraps 2 inches round or less, about 25 inches long or more, soil (partial bags are fine if you want to bring your leftovers), and marigolds.

The Maynardville Library is located at:
296 Main St. Maynardville,TN,37807
and can be reached at:
Email: mayna2bk@comcast.net
Tel 865-992-7106
Fax 865-992-0202

The library is fully open now, hours are:
Monday 8:00-5:00
Tuesday 9:00-6:00
Wednesday CLOSED
Thursday 9:00-6:00
Friday 8:00-5:00
Saturday 9:00-1:00
Sunday CLOSED