The Jessie Mae Everett Public Library officially opened its doors at a new location this week. The ribbon‐cutting ceremony held on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025 was attended by local officials, longtime supporters, and residents eager to explore the space.
Mayor Max Anderson kicked off the event by acknowledging the collaboration behind the move. “This was a county and [town] project together,” Anderson said. “This was the county school superintendent office and the county still owns the building and the town is going to provide utilities for the library.”
Donna Cleveland, director of the Kemper-Newton Regional Library System, followed with heartfelt thanks to the dedicated staff of the libraries. “This move would not have been possible without the support and dedication of so many individuals and organizations,” Cleveland said. “I want to thank my incredible staff. Your commitment to this library and your willingness to adapt and unwavering dedication to serving our community have made this transition successful.”At the helm of the public library will be branch manager Melody Massey and system technical processor Rita Dube.
The ceremony also paid tribute to the long history of the Jessie Mae Public Library. Founded in 1962 with the vital support of the Decatur Women’s Progressive Club, the library has journeyed from a modest building next to the volunteer fire department to its previous home at East Central Community College. Today, thanks to the unwavering support of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen for the Town of Decatur, the Newton County Board of Supervisors, and community donors, the library embarks on a new chapter in its legacy. It was announced that the Town of Decatur would be covering the utilities for the library building.
The family of Jessie Mae Everett celebrated her lifelong dream of establishing a library, with her children Keith Everett and Lisa Lucovich participating in the ceremony. “It was her passion,” Lucovich said. “She would be very happy to know it’s still going and thriving in Decatur, especially with it being in her name.” They recalled her tenacity as well, with Everett saying, “For those of you who didn’t know my mom or did, she didn’t take a backseat to anybody and she didn’t think Decatur should take a backseat to any town or city anywhere.”
Additional tributes were paid by Teresa Button, the governor-appointed board commissioner of the Mississippi Library Commission, who spoke of the historic role of women’s clubs in advocating for library services across the state. The ribbon‐cutting was led by Sonia Smith, president of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce, with Miss Newton County Hospitality McKinley Gregory and her Little Miss Newton County Hospitality Elle May present. There was also a team of library staff from throughout the county to help celebrate the occasion. “This is a milestone for our community,” said Smith. “We are blessed to have a library that not only preserves our past but also offers a gateway to future opportunities for learning and growth.”
