Dr. E. W. Grove

On June 1, 1902, a donation of $1,000 by the city was given to the Paris Library Association, which was set up for the establishment of a public library. On January 9, 1905, Dr. Grove gave an additional $250. To help with the establishment of this library, the women and Sunday Schools of the Presbyterian, Christian, Methodist, and Baptist Churches started donating their collections toward the library. Since the Sunday Schools were responsible for the development of the library, the readers had to get library cards from the Sunday School classes. Mrs. W. W. Farabough, (the former Miss Mary Rison), was the first volunteer to donate her time to development of a library within the city. She visited the Cossitt Library at her own expense where she learned how to catalog books. She later taught Miss Sue Fox who became the first librarian at a salary of $8 per month.

The actual location of the library was in the basement of the Court House, but it was not created until September 1902 when Miss Fox began to earn her salary. Dr. Murray C. Woods was the treasurer of the association from 1902 until the City took over the management in 1906. The new City Hall was built at this time and the library moved to this location in the late 1920's, which is the present location of the parking lot at AM South Bank and the Post Office. The library was in two small adjoining rooms on the second floor. However, it soon moved into a larger room on the East side of the building. The Works Progress Administration and National Youth Administration built the bookshelves for the library. At this time the Paris Library Association became the Paris City Library and was operated under the guidelines of a library board appointed by the mayor. In 1908, the members of the Paris Library Association were Mayor John R. Rison, John Kane Currier, and Colonel O. C. Barton. The Board of Directors were as follows: Mayor John Rison, E. B. McGeehee, W. W. Farabough, S. W. Sherrill, and Miss. Maggie Veltman.

Miss Sue Fox was the librarian from 1902 until 1905 when she resigned to study photography. Miss Nelle Kitchum was the next librarian from 1905 until 1906 when Miss Floy Cooper (Mrs. P. D. T. Roberts) became the librarian. She served from 1906 until 1911. Miss Lucretia Brooks (Mrs. Arthur Ewing), was appointed after Miss Cooper and served from 1911 until 1920. Miss Minnie Dudley served from 1920 until 1933. Miss Julia Frances Gorman served from 1933 to 1935, Miss Valice Redden (Mrs. Charles Fite) became the librarian in 1935. Mrs. Sarah Clover, and Mrs. Georgia Krider Boice were also librarians. Mrs. Boice was the last part time librarian when Mrs. Roger Van Dyke was hired as a full time librarian in 1960.

The library moved in 1959 into the new City Hall and was located on the Washington Street side where the police department entrance is now located. On January 10, 1967, Mrs. Margaret Sykes was appointed as the new librarian after Mrs. Van Dyke resigned to devote more time to her family. On August 30, 1980, the only male librarian in the history of the library, Mr. Franklyn Thompson, took office. He was succeeded by Mrs. Elizabeth "Libby" Lewis in 1992, Mrs. Catherine Bright in 1997 and currently Mrs. Connie McSwain in 1999.

The county operated a somewhat smaller library, which was located on the second floor of the Court House and was only open on Saturday afternoons. This regional library started in 1940 through the interest of the Tennessee Valley Authority. The TVA wanted their employees as well as people in this area to have available reading materials. It was operated in connection with the University of Tennessee at Martin and the office space was located with Miss Mary Cannon, the supervisor of county schools. Miss Aline Lowery was the first librarian and Mrs. Julian Smith succeeded her. Appropriations for the county library were through the county school budget.

In connection with the library, stations at Buchanan, Springville, Puryear, Henry, Cottage Grove, Whitlock and Elkhorn were set up throughout the county where space was available. Bookmobiles served these stations. During the war years these stations were threatened with closure due to gas rationing. The problem was solved for the time being by Miss Mary Cannon who made available a book depository space in the Court House in the Henry County Board of Education's offices. Miss Claudine Browning (Mrs. William C. Thompson) was employed to take the books around to the stations each Saturday and was paid a small salary for her work by the Tennessee Valley Authority. The City and County meerged in 1959.

On April 18, 1969, a chapter of The Friends of the Library was organized to encourage the gifts of books, papers, magazines, etc. It was also organized to stimulate bequests, endowments, participation in a memorial book funds, organize story hours, book reviews, and to contribute supplies and other needed items. The Friends adopted by-laws and a charter establishing the organization as a non-profit corporation. They also created various committees to function within the organization.

Mrs. Arthur Dunlap presided over the first organizational meeting of the Friends. Mrs. Dunlap and Miss Norma Cooper were elected as the temporary chairman and secretary respectively. The first elected President was Mr. George Wilson, Mrs. Dunlap was elected Vice President with Mrs. Boyce Rowe as Secretary, and Miss Norma Cooper as Treasurer. The current officers are President, Amon Evans; Vice President, Arthur Lodge; Secretary, Donna Winders; Treasurer, Oma Bass and the Board of Directors Staphanie Tayloe, Jim Lacey and Cathy Cole.

On December 4, 1969, the first book sale was established in the library lobby. The books were $.25 each. The titles for this sale ranged from 19th century fiction to Principles of Accounting. The sale of old books in the first budget was $67. The first budget totaled $1,090.50. Of the total budget $936.52 was spent on various items for the library, which left a surplus of $153.98.

A Book Fair was held in 1971 at the Old Caldwell Hotel. In 1972, 1973, and 1974 a book fair was held in the Court House. A book and rummage sale was held in 1976. In 1981 a used book sale was organized. This sale consisted of hardbacks, paperbacks, and magazines sold from five cents to fifty cents. Used book sales were held in 1982, 1984 through 1989, and 1992 through 2000. The last used book sale generated over 25,000 books and netted over $9,000. Because of the large donations of books, magazines records, and tapes a used bookstore was created within the library. This bookstore encompasses a small conference room area and an old bathroom area. This bookstore has generated in the first year of operation over $20,000 with book prices ranging from ten cents to five dollars. The majority of the items are priced within ten cents to one dollar. Since the opening of the Bookstore, total receipts have been over $200,000.

  Dr. W. G. Rhea

In 1972, Dr. W.G. Rhea donated the corner lot at Washington and Caldwell Streets across from the City Hall. This lot contained a Victorian gingerbread home once owned by Arthur and Minnie Caldwell Lamb. When they died in 1940, the house passed to their daughter, Lucile de Nevers Caldwell, who married Dr. Milton Cayce Wiggins. Dr. Wiggins in 1922 built Wiggins Clinic and Hospital on Caldwell Street, which later became Nobles Hospital and finally Rhea Clinic. L. I. Smith and Associates now own this property. In May 1971, Professional Investments purchased the house and lot called "The Populars" which adjoined the clinic. When Dr. Rhea donated the lot it was stipulated that construction for a new library was to begin on the property within five years. The house on the property was not considered suitable for the library and was torn down in 1973.

The library board decided that a new library could be built on the site at a cost of about $350,000. In 1977 the floor plan for the proposed new library was published. The library had 7,300 square feet and was built for $250,000. On Sunday April 8, 1979, the new W. G. Rhea Library was opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony that included Mrs. Georgia Krider Boice who was the oldest living former librarian at that time. County Executive Jim McKee, Paris Mayor Bill Culley and Dr. Rhea were also a part of the ceremony. In 1991, the library was expanded to include a children's room (The Franklyn Thompson room) and a new genealogical room (The W. O. Inman room).