The Frank L. Leggett Public Library is pleased to be a recipient of a Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund donation.

Weyerhaeuser, an American timberland company which owns over 12,000,000 acres of timberlands in the U.S., made its first charitable donation in 1903 and has provided more than $239 million in grants through its formal giving program, established in 1948. Foundation giving is limited to areas where they have a significant presence, including communities where they have operations and/or where they own or manage forestlands in the United States and Canada. Weyerhaeuser’s Mississippi operating locations are in Bruce, Columbus, McComb, and Philadelphia, but they manage timber forestlands in Jefferson Davis County.

Like many libraries during the pandemic, the Frank L. Leggett Public Library implemented safety protocols when re-opening to the public and utilized every resource to ensure a safe and healthy environment. CARES Act funds were used to provide shields and sanitizing products, but very old carpeting still presented a health hazard to patrons. Weyerhaeuser Funds, along with matching community donations and library funds, have been used to replace the carpeting with laminate flooring that can easily be cleaned and sanitized.

The first library in Bassfield, MS, opened in 1973 and operated for 15 hours a week. The building currently housing the Library was constructed in 1976 and was renamed the Frank L. Leggett Public Library in honor of the service of long-time local physician (and library benefactor) Dr. Frank L. Leggett. Today, the Library is operated five days a week by two full-time staff and receives almost 10,000 public visits per year. In addition to a variety of materials for check-out (books, DVDs, audio-books, and e-books), the Library has six public access computers with free Internet and free Wi-Fi Internet. The Library offers an array of options for printing and document transferal needs and conducts programming year-round for children and families.

Submitted by:

Ryda Worthy

Library Director

South Mississippi Regional Library