FRAZIER: Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library an asset to the community

Published 4:00 am Saturday, July 16, 2022

On Tuesday, the Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library had a program to conclude their summer reading program, and according to Marie Cunningham, who is the children’s librarian, it had been a success.

I didn’t need to hear her tell me this though. I knew from her face. She was beaming from ear to ear.

Marie, who I have known since we were teenagers, told me that from all the events they offered during the 5-week long program, there were combined 1,000-plus children that participated.

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My hat is off to Marie and the entire staff of the library.

No doubt every one of them had a role in making the summer reading program, which was a large endeavor, a success.

Reading is vital in so many ways, and I am sure this summer reading program will have a positive residual effect on Vicksburg. Not only did it put a fun spin on reading, but programs like this bring people together and strengthen the community.

And what would a summer reading program be without a top reader?

This year, it was 7-year-old Jim Williams.

He was quite an impressive young man and definitely mature beyond his years. In fact, Marie told me he hosts a program on the library’s Facebook page called “Shark Bites with Jim,” where he talks about different kinds of sharks.

When I asked Jim what it was about reading he liked, he said he liked reading because it was fun, and he enjoyed learning.

Reading is fun and you do learn.

While I may not have been quite as mature and driven as Jim when I was his age, one thing we do have in common is participating in the library’s summer reading program. While I don’t recall any of the summer reading library programs I participated in being quite as elaborate as the one Marie and her fellow librarians offered this year, it did have the same goal — to get kids reading.

Back in my day, the kickoff program was held at the old library, which was built by the Carnegie Foundation and located at the corner of Veto and Walnut Streets. The building is now home to the city’s inspection department.

However, after the initial program, we didn’t have to go there weekly to check out new books; our neighborhood had a bookmobile parked at the end of Columbia Avenue.

I remember us kids all waiting for that bus to come down the hill and once it was there, we would all crowd in and hunt for entertaining reads.

Bookmobiles are now a thing of the past, but thank goodness, libraries are still en vogue.

Vicksburg is fortunate to have a public library and we are equally fortunate to have a dedicated staff who are committed and care about our community.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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