A Short History of the Piedmont Valley Library
A former fire hall now houses volumes and volumes of information and entertainment thanks to a grassroots effort by a small group of citizens who recognized that even a small town needs a library. Patricia Ball led the movement and assumed the duties of library director on a volunteer basis for several years. From the very first planning meeting in April of 2004, to the initial opening of the local learning center in late February of 2006, volunteers labored for countless hours. Donations accounted for most of the materials and labor for the building as well as computers, videos, books, and audio books.
First Opening Day
In yellow is Patricia Ball, at the first ribbon cutting ceremony. The library consisted of a few shelves in what is now Piedmont City Hall.
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February 25, 2006
Here you can see the original double doors that were to be removed for what is now the front entrance to the library.
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Reopening, June 2008
The Piedmont Community Library took over the old fire hall garage, renovated entirely by volunteers, using mostly donated materials.
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Above: The newly refurbished interior of the garage area of the old fire hall.
Above right: Awnings were purchased by Mary Alice and Gordon Johnson, 2016.
The bench is a memorial to Angela Semple and was donated by Deb Semple..
The first paid, part-time director, Jane Abernathy, was hired in 2011, and under her leadership the library received its accreditation from the South Dakota State Library under its present name, The Piedmont Valley Library.
Pictured L to R: Daria Bossman, SD State Librarian, Jane Abernathy, and Patricia Ball.
Above right: Awnings were purchased by Mary Alice and Gordon Johnson, 2016.
The bench is a memorial to Angela Semple and was donated by Deb Semple..
The first paid, part-time director, Jane Abernathy, was hired in 2011, and under her leadership the library received its accreditation from the South Dakota State Library under its present name, The Piedmont Valley Library.
Pictured L to R: Daria Bossman, SD State Librarian, Jane Abernathy, and Patricia Ball.
Megan Eggers, present director.
The Friends of the Piedmont Valley Library, Inc. organization was granted its IRS 501-C3 non-profit status under Jane's tenure as well, and the library's first paid part-time aide was hired in 2014.
In 2016, Jane had been alerted by a volunteer that the base library at Ellsworth was disposing of their old shelving. "Would we like to salvage some? Oh, yes!" The Friends of the Library purchased new carpeting, generously discounted by Flooring America, and JBS Plumbing offered to help with the installation. Jane Abernathy's early retirement in early 2018, however, led to the hiring of our present director, Megan Eggers in April of that year.
In 2016, Jane had been alerted by a volunteer that the base library at Ellsworth was disposing of their old shelving. "Would we like to salvage some? Oh, yes!" The Friends of the Library purchased new carpeting, generously discounted by Flooring America, and JBS Plumbing offered to help with the installation. Jane Abernathy's early retirement in early 2018, however, led to the hiring of our present director, Megan Eggers in April of that year.
Thus, in May of 2018, the library closed for two weeks and went through another remarkable transformation. Led by our brand new director and powered by our ever-amazing volunteers, along with the help of city employees and JBS Plumbing, shelving and furniture were deconstructed, hauled from Ellsworth Air Force Base to Piedmont, the new carpeting was laid, and the salvaged items were washed, reconstructed, and refilled with books and other materials.
Left: Volunteers pulling up the old carpets in preparation for new flooring.
Left: Volunteers pulling up the old carpets in preparation for new flooring.
Our new Local History Section.
A donation from the Alta McVay Family funded the new Local History Section in early 2020. This addition has given us space to shelve historical archives of the Piedmont Valley and other Black Hills communities, as well as other works by local authors that might otherwise be pulled from shelves to make room for newer materials. The city added more ceiling lights in 2020.
We are ever-grateful for the support of the City of Piedmont, Meade County, Friends of the Library, area businesses, and for the people of the Piedmont Valley for their generosity to their library through volunteerism, donations, and support for our used book sales and other fund raisers.
We are ever-grateful for the support of the City of Piedmont, Meade County, Friends of the Library, area businesses, and for the people of the Piedmont Valley for their generosity to their library through volunteerism, donations, and support for our used book sales and other fund raisers.
