About Us

Marshall County Memorial Library has proudly served our community for over 100 years.

Mission

The mission of the Marshall County Memorial Library is to serve the county as a resource center by providing materials, programs, and services that satisfy information needs, assist in reaching educational goals, and promote the creative use of leisure time.
Ladies reading on a bench

Explore. Connect. Achive.

At the Marshall County Memorial Library we encourage people to do all three of these things. We offer materials, services and programming designed to be of interest to the diverse spectrum of people in our community. We strive to fulfill entertainment, education and lifelong learning goals.

Board of Trustees

The MCML Board of Trustees is the governing body of the library system. The Board of Trustees set policies, the library funding requests, and generally steer the vision of the library along with the library director. They are also responsible for direct supervision of the library director.

 

Current board members are:

• Paul Clifford -- Board Chair
Elizabeth Jackson -- Vice Chair
•  Ariel Terry -- Secretary
•  John McCullough-- County Commission Representative
•  Julie Johnson
•  Mallory P. Cook
•  Shakera Stanley -- ex officio

Board Meetings

The library board meets on the 4th Tuesday of every other month at 8:30 a.m. in the library's meeting room. The library board will follow the Tennessee open meetings provisions outlined in Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 8-44-101 through 8-44-108.

Scheduled Board Meetings:
September 24, 2024
November 26, 2024
January 28, 2025
March 25, 2025
May 27, 2025

History of Marshall County Memorial Library

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Timeline 192020150630 30998 12gq2yx original
1920
Around 1920 the Lewisburg Study Club started a library in the basement of the Rest Room, located at the North East corner of the square (across from the Police Station). Books were donated to the library.
Timeline 193020150630 30993 oznjy9 original
1930
After a big flood in the 1930’s, when most of the books were soaked, it was decided to move. Space was offered from two different people and it was decided to take a rent free room located off of the South East corner of the square. The first paid librarian then took charge of the little one room library. The library grew and they moved to larger quarters (4 rooms) on the second floor in the same building.
Timeline 195420150630 30993 cjhsfj original
1954
In 1954, members of the Rotary Club, Study Club and other citizens recognized the need for larger, first-floor quarters. Through their efforts, an unused concrete block building, which was erected as a Boy Scout headquarters located on the Harmond Playground, was obtained from the city, rent free.

The Rotary Club had by this time taken the library as its project and they paid for the remodeling and furnishing. Money was contributed by many organizations and Rotarians themselves did much of the work on the interior. At this time, the library joined the Blue Grass Regional Library.
Mcmloutside20160114 23331 1x8ms1f original
1973
The library continued to grow. It became apparent that more space was needed and building drives were begun but each failed. Then in 1973 revenue sharing funds became available and with an active library board, headed by Mr. John R. Owen, a steering committee headed by Dr. J.C. Leonard, city and county officials, and interested citizens went to work.

The City of Lewisburg and Marshall County jointly financed the building in which we now reside. With the help of individuals, businesses, industry and cities of Chapel Hill, Cornersville and Belfast funds were raised for furnishings.
Timeline 197520150630 30998 1dx0ldc original
1975
The doors to the current library opened on February 27, 1975.
Chapelhillinside120160114 23331 19fozlv original
2014
MCML opened a branch library in the Community Center in Chapel Hill. This branch helps MCML to better serve the community in the northern end of Marshall County.
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Marshall County Memorial Library 2016-2026
Strategic and Facilities Plan

In early 2016, the Marshall County Memorial Library Board of Trustees along with the Library Director made a decision that a new and bold direction was needed for the Marshall County Memorial Library. Knowing that library staff and board members could not appropriately create a thorough and objective plan for the library, they agreed on the need for an outside expert to help create a 10 year strategic and facilities plan for the libraries in Marshall County.  The Library Foundation Board was also instrumental in this decision as they funded 83% of the cost of the study with Marshall County Government funding the balance of the study as a part of MCML’s FY17 budget. After a competitive bid process, both the Library Board of Trustees and the Library Foundation Board approved the hiring 720design, an architectural company in Dallas, Texas, specializing in library design analysis, and its principal Maureen Arndt.  The study is thorough and will assist the Board, Marshall County Commissioners and other county stakeholders with a direction to improve Library buildings and services.

This analysis was needed because the Library had not been thoroughly evaluated since the current Lewisburg building was built in the mid 1970’s and a needs assessment for the new Chapel Hill branch had not been done.  As a result of this study, the Board, Commissioners, and Marshall County leaders will have a greater understanding of user demands and Library needs.  It is apparent throughout this study that the citizens of Marshall County are passionate about their Library and view it as a community necessity across all demographics represented in our County.
The recommendations in this study as applied will continue to expand and enhance the quality of life that makes Marshall County a vital and growing rural community.  Our public schools and parks, including Henry Horton State Park and the Lewisburg Recreation Center, are a huge reason for our excellent quality of life.  When the results of this study are completed, the Library will play a larger role in the County’s economic, educational and quality of life successes.

This study would not have been possible without the help of numerous people. Therefore, I would like to thank Marshall County Mayor Joe Boyd Liggett, Lewisburg Mayor Jim Bingham, Chapel Hill Town Administrator Mark Graves, Lewisburg Economic Development Director Greg Lowe, Director of the Marshall County Joint Economic and Community Development Board Mike Wiles, the Marshall County Board of Commissioners, the Library Board of Trustees, the Library Foundation Board and the numerous individuals who participated in our focus groups and online survey.

Shakera Stanley, Director
Marshall County Memorial Library
Download MCML Strategic Plan Final Public Presentation