By Jill Vejnoska
How excited are folks about Palmetto's gorgeous new library?
So excited that police had to direct the overflow parking to a nearby apartment complex at Monday morning's grand opening and a classic Christmas carol got a clever rewrite by local schoolchildren.
The 10,000-square-foot library is the second new branch of the Atlanta Fulton Public Library System to open as a result of the library bond referendum that county voters overwhelmingly passed in 2008. Under Phase I of the project, two existing branches are being significantly renovated and expanded and eight new ones built. Many of those are in growing and previously underserved areas of the county, like Palmetto and Wolf Creek, which opened in southwest Atlanta on Sept. 8.
"This library is about stretching the imaginations of our young people," Fulton County Commission chairman John Eaves pronounced before he joined other elected officials, library board members and some smiling citizens in cutting the ceremonial ribbon in front of the handsome new building on Cascade Palmetto Highway. "And it's about us older folks stretching our minds, too."
Speaking of imaginative young people....the highlight of the ceremony came when students from nearby Palmetto Elementary School sang a delightful version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas," complete with props, in which the traditional verses were rewritten to star the characters of beloved kids books. Thus did "Two French Hens" become "Two Yellow Hats" from Curious George and "Ten Lords A Leapin'" turn into ""Ten Titey-Whiteys" from the "Captain Underpants" books.
The final verse went like this:
"On the 12th day of reading, the county gave to me . . .A brand new library!"
It brought down the house.
(Coming this Sunday in the AJC: Read all about where and when the new libraries are opening and how they're reflective of their local communities. In the Living & Arts section.)
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