It has been 28 years since the Rico community had a library. It was located at the old Rico Elementary School. But that was then and this is now. Today the doors are open at Rico Public Library, located at the newly opened Rico Cultural Center at 6505 Rico Road.

“We’re trying to get back to being an active community facility,” said library Volunteer Coordinator and Program Director Judy Henderson. “We expect to have a full service library to serve our growing community of people.”

Though only open since March 18, the library is already providing a much needed service to the community. With the bookmobile discontinued and the closest library located in Fairburn, Henderson said the recent re-opening of Rico Community Center, now called the Rico Cultural Center, provided the venue to open the library. And with that opening, it did not take long for materials to begin flowing in. Donations of more than 1,000 books have come from the community along with books donated by Cochran Mill Nature Center and supplied by Fulton County Public Library. Fulton County established a depository at the library and will be regularly swapping books in and out, Henderson said. Other donations include a telescope from Chris Hutchcraft, a DSL line and DVD player from Chattahoochee Hill Country Conservancy, labels and signs from Peachtree City Kwik-Kopy, a welcome rug from Girl Scout Troop 3327, Harry Potter display materials from Horton’s Book Store in Carrollton and Jeff Foxworthy items from Steed Company in Bowden. And it does not end there, Henderson said. Local artists are outfitting the new library with pictures and stained glass. Local artists are invited to display their work at the library, said Henderson. They are also invited to teach classes, she added.

The library is open Mondays through Saturdays from noon until 6 p.m. and on the second and fourth Sundays from 1-5 p.m. Henderson said the all volunteer staff includes community residents and Providence Baptist Church and Rico United Methodist Church, who are providing staffing one day per week.

“We have about 25 people from the community who have spent hours and hours helping put things together,” Henderson said fondly. “We’re a completely volunteer operation and we need more people who are willing to spend an afternoon checking out books.”

Grand opening events for Rico Public Library and Chattahoochee Hill Country Conservancy will be held May 18. Atlanta mystery writer Fran Stewart will be on hand for a Meet the Author event.

The library will soon host an ongoing number of speciality classes designed to provide a variety of opportunities to area residents. A sampling of those include watercolors and stained glass. Future offerings include ceramics, pottery and gardening.

Rico Public Library is already becoming a gathering place for the community. A visit Wednesday afternoon found children and adults, reading books or just sitting and talking.

“We want people to feel good about coming and bringing their children, to come sit and read a book and enjoy their library,” Henderson said. “And working together to get the library set up, that’s what community is all about.”

The library is in need of reference materials, including encyclopedias, as well as audio books and CDs. And the primary need, of course, is all types of books, especially youth and teen books. Donated items can be dropped off at the library or at Bob’s Tire & Recapping at 25 Malone Street in Fairburn. The library phone is set to be installed soon. Until that time and afterwards, the library can be contacted at ricolibrary@yahoo.com. Henderson can be contacted at hernestw@bellsouth.net.

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