NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A library in Nashville is back open after being closed for nearly four months.
The Pruitt Branchof the Nashville Public Library has been serving people from Sudekum and Napier for more than 30 years.
It may look like your typical library, but Pruitt means so much more to many people in the neighborhood.
For Nicole Valentine, it's a home away from home.
"I don't come from a big family, so I have been able to create a family in this community... but that's not a soundbite, that's real," said Valentine, a community organizer and library volunteer.
Pruitt is a place for Valentine to connect with kids in the neighborhood through the programs they hold.
"For Mother's Day we were able to help the kids make crafts as gifts for their moms," Valentine said.
They are learning skills, and having plenty of fun.
"We did a sip and paint three years ago, it was Kool-Aid," Valentine said.
As a haven in the neighborhood giving kids somewhere to go, the facility could be in the business of saving lives.
It's a fitting purpose for a building that began as a fire hall.
"In the Napier community, families know, I can see my child walk over and feel comfortable with them being here," Valentine said.
For the past few months, that building has been closed for maintenance and structural repairs.
Library officials said thanks to community partnerships, some of their nontraditional offers like meal service remained.
"There's nothing like being able to open the doors and see our customers come back in, so we're really really excited," said Andrea Fanta, a spokesperson for the Nashville Public Library.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
For people of my generation, in our younger days we spent part of our weekends watching music shows like American Bandstand and Soul Train. That was before the age of music videos. Several years before Soul Train was syndicated out of Chicago, another syndicated R&B show was taped in Nashville at NewsChannel 5. Night Train aired in the 60s and included what may have been the first TV appearance for legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Forrest Sanders has another great look back at station history.
-Lelan Statom
