South County Library, located at 6303 Merriman Road in southwest Roanoke County, is scheduled to open on Tuesday, January 3, 2012.
South County will become the new headquarters library for the Roanoke County Public Library system, replacing the current building at 3131 Electric Road, which has served as the headquarters library for almost 40 years. Situated on 29 largely undeveloped acres, South County will be three times the size of the current Library.
The 419/Headquarters Library will close at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, December 16. The most time-consuming effort will be bringing the collection into the library and integrating it with the new items that have been in storage awaiting this move. During the time when the 419 Library closes on December 16 and South County opens on January 3, patrons are asked to assist with the following:
* To minimize disruption, items checked out from the 419 Library will not be due during the transition period. Patrons are welcome to drop their items off at any library in the Roanoke Valley Libraries (RVL) system, which includes all the libraries in the counties of Roanoke and Botetourt and the cities of Roanoke and Salem. The 419 drop box will close permanently on January 3.
* While the library is closed, patrons are asked to have reserved items sent to other libraries in the RVL system for pick up.
* All book donations should be held until January 9. Books may be dropped off at the loading dock at South County starting that day. The loading dock is at the opposite end of the building from the entrance.
* If patrons need to use a computer or check out a book or other item, their library card is good at any library in the RVL system. The closest library is Roanoke City’s Raleigh Court Branch Library at 2112 Grandin Road (in front of Patrick Henry High School). Please check their website for hours of operation.
South County Library is located across from Penn Forest Elementary School in the Starkey section of southwest Roanoke County. The new library will have the same operating hours as the 419 Library (Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Following a 10:00 a.m. dedication ceremony on Tuesday, January 3, South County Library will officially open to the public.