At the beginning of 2025, Nyale Pieh had never organized a large-scale event for the Memphis Public Libraries. But like many librarians in the Memphis system, her ambition and drive to serve the community would not hold her back. Despite her professed inexperience with large events, nearly 400 people of all ages came out to her Orange Mound One Year Anniversary party, a celebration of Orange Mound Branch Library’s year since reopening its doors to the public. The day that followed was filled with fun, community, and a deepening relationship between Orange Mound and its library branch.
Much has been written about the repurposing of the historic Melrose High School into a branch of the Memphis Public Libraries - and for good reason. The refurbished space serves as a testament to the legacy and community pride that is so easy to find in the Orange Mound community, as well as representing the future of the neighborhood. But so much has been achieved in the year since the new library branch opened, it is hard to focus on just the physical building. The Orange Mound Branch Library hosts multiple unique events weekly, often running week-long classes and coordinating with local organizations. In July alone, they have story time for young children, a pre-college crash course in black literature for teens and adults, a summer book club for tweens and teens, sci-fi movie days, an African American genealogy research class, a poetry club, computer basics classes, and so much more. Each week is as varied as the last, providing new opportunities for Orange Mound residents each time they visit. Nyale noted that the Orange Mound library staff does this for the community and they enjoy providing accessible resources to the neighborhood, as well as fun events like the One Year Anniversary Party.
The celebration was a culmination of an incredible year of programming from the Orange Mound librarians, proving how successful the symbiotic relationship can be between a community and its library. The event was in collaboration with the Orange Mound Community Center, housed next door, with participating organizations such as YMCA, LINC 211, Melrose Alumni Association, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, OutMemphis, Literacy Mid-South, and Youth Villages. Patrons visited tables and learned about all of the valuable resources available through the library and in the city. Neighborhood residents were drawn into the event off the street from the music of DJ Dosie and the smell of food in the air. Mayor Paul Young even made a special appearance, giving a speech “highlighting the significance and history of the building, the library, and the community’s journey to this milestone”. Afterwards, patrons mingled, received helpful resources, danced, and enjoyed free lunch and Italian ice. Nyale said that it was some of their patrons’ first time having Italian ice and that it was nice to simply feed the attendees for free and provide them with a treat. There was also a special performance by the Orange Mound Energizers, the senior center’s line dancing group. “They had everyone up and dancing, even the mayor!”, said Nyale. Following the celebration, 53 people stayed for Skyler Gambert's program, a documentary film screening of Reimagined, with a speaker panel featuring the filmmaker. “Overall, the event fostered community connection and a safe, welcoming atmosphere.”
Large-scale events like this One Year Anniversary not only serve to celebrate the community, but to raise awareness about things happening in the library that the community may not know about. Nyale said once patrons realized the full range of resources available at the library, they started asking “What else can you offer?” LINC 211 and the Orange Mound in-house social worker even noticed an uptick in requests for their services after the event. For many it was their first time in the building since the renovation, so they got library cards and shared with the staff what the building meant to them and their family. Nyale and other Orange Mound librarians also got to meet the families of students who come into the library daily, saying it was really great being able to put faces to names and kids to families. Overall, the event was a success, bringing together “a diverse, intergenerational crowd” while also being a step in the right direction for Orange Mound Branch’s relationship with their community.
Speaking to Nyale about the event, it was clear to see just how much time and effort went into this event and the branch’s ability to reach out to Orange Mound as a whole. She noted they have seen more and more familiar faces since the event and that the branch “feels like a community”. When Nyale first spoke about her initial idea for the party, she said she was inspired after a meeting with Christine Weinreich from the Memphis Library Foundation. When Nyale and the other librarians heard about the level of support and funding that the Memphis Library Foundation can provide, she said she decided to “ask for what I think we deserve.” The Memphis Library Foundation team often encourages library staff to think big for their events, programs, and enhancements. As a group of fundraisers, there is nothing easier to do than allocate money to smart, creative, and passionate librarians and trust them to take their vision all the way to the Memphis community.
However, this work is not possible without loyal donors who want to see even more resources, more parties, and more enhancements for the Memphis Public Libraries. If you are someone who loves your library or who loves your community, become a monthly donor to the Memphis Library Foundation to support events like these. Just $5 a month can help fund events like the Orange Mound One Year Anniversary party, as well as many other resources at the library. In such an uncertain time for libraries, your support can make the future of the Memphis Public Libraries solid. Please help us on our mission to continue making the Memphis Public Libraries a network of creativity and innovation throughout the entire Midsouth community by giving at least $5 a month today.
We are thankful to Nyale for sharing her experience of the event with us, as well as to the rest of the Orange Mound Branch staff for the incredible work they do every day. If you’d like to see more of the Orange Mound Branch, please visit memphislibrary.org and navigate to ‘Calendar of Events’ and sort by library branch to find everything they offer. You can also read more about the Orange Mound Branch in the latest edition of MPL Unbound, our library magazine. Find the digital version here or pick up a physical copy in your library branch.
As always, please share this article with a friend, family member, or absolute stranger! Thank you for reading!
- The Memphis Library Foundation Team
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