History :
Located more than 25 miles distant from a library, the residents of Deerfield and later Craigsville recognized the need for more library service than the bookmobile could provide and approached the Augusta County Library for help. When a new bookmobile was purchased in 1981, the retired vehicle was parked next to the Deerfield Elementary School as an experiment to serve the Deerfield community as a library.
Although the Deerfield Station was open nine hours per week, both volunteers and patrons could only comfortably use the vehicle on warm and sunny days; without heat, light or cooling, the atmosphere was not conducive to browsing and after two years, the station closed. The bookmobile then served the community every two weeks until the Deerfield Elementary School closed in 1990.
The Deerfield Ruritan club leased the building from the county for use as a community center. Kitty Armstrong, then a member of the library board, approached Pastures District Supervisor Jerry Mays to request library space in the community center and the Ruritans agreed to designate one of the large classrooms as a library station. Although little money was originally budgeted, the Augusta County Library converted the room into a library, providing approximately 2500 books, videos, books on tape, reference material, staff training, technical help, some furniture, computers, copy paper, and miscellaneous library supplies. Shelving was donated by King’s Daughters Hospital. The Friends of the Library provided a photocopier and funds for library furniture.
The Friends ongoing support allows for landscaping for the grounds, special programs, and other items as the need arises. The station has held an annual book, bake, plant, and yard sale on Memorial Day weekend for the past eleven years whose proceeds are donated to the Friends. Local support has been ongoing with generous donations of carpeting, an air conditioner, books, furniture, and the always welcome cash.
The Augusta County Library children’s department holds a special program at least once a year; local volunteers conduct storytimes, workshops, classes, and fund raisers. Each summer local children participate in the Summer Reading Program. Also each summer, from early July to early August, the station is open Wednesdays, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. to accommodate the children and their families who participate in the Augusta County Parks and Recreation Summer Playground Program.
In 1995, we were able to gain a twenty hour per week Valley Program for Aging Services worker, Jean Kelley, to coordinate the volunteers and stabilize our hours of operation. Over the years we have been lucky to have more than 20 volunteers staff the station.
Our patrons range in age from two to one hundred--we aim to serve their broad range of interest.
