Cape's vibrant library celebrates 10 years in new building

The Cape Girardeau Public Library celebrated its 10th anniversary at its new building this month.

The milestone marks a major step forward for the library, and the place looks as fresh and clean as it did when it opened a decade ago.

Have you been to the library lately?

If not, you might be surprised at what you'll find. The library is used by a wide range of people, ranging from children to seniors and about every race and socioeconomic background you can imagine. Last yar, the library at 711 N. Clark St. received nearly 140,000 visitors. More than 229,000 books, movies, audio and e-Books were checked out, according to a story by culture reporter Joshua Hartwig.

Katie Hill has held the position of library director for only nine months, but she told Hartwig that the value placed on the library is about $4 million to the community. The library brings in about $1.9 million in tax revenue, meaning "it's a huge return on investment," Hill said.

"It's such a beautiful building. And it isn't showing its age yet," Hill said. "The idea of having a brand-new library is still fresh in everybody's heads."

About 25 employees keep the day-to-day operations running. The library has all sorts of programs and activities to learn and have fun. If you have been thinking about checking out the library, we encourage you to do so. It's a wonderful facility for learning in our city.