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JOHNSON CITY — 2025 marks Johnson City Public Library’s (JCPL) 130th year of service to the community. To commemorate this milestone, the library is hosting a birthday celebration on Thursday, May 1, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Polly Peterson Room.

All ages are invited to drop by throughout the party to hear 13 special guest readers — one for each decade — read aloud from beloved books. Birthday cake and refreshments will be served.

Attendees can look forward to readings from community figures and library supporters, including Langston Centre Director Adam Dickson; singer-songwriter and owner of The Down Home, Ed Snodderly; author and retired WETS-FM director Wayne Winkler; Johnson City Chamber President and CEO Bob Cantler; Johnson City Board of Education member Kathy Hall; ETSU Poet in Residence and English professor Dr. Jesse Graves; and JCPL Board President Jennifer Dixon, among others.

A full schedule of the readers is available at jcpl.org/events. Attendees are welcome to drop by anytime between 6 and 7:30 p.m.; the readings will all be family-friendly.

Along with the event, the library is hosting an exhibit in its Galleria about the library’s 130-year past. Visitors can view old photographs, blueprints and more from different eras of the library’s history. The exhibit can be viewed during the month of May.

Johnson City’s first library opened on May 1, 1895, in an upstairs room of the Reeves Building in downtown Johnson City. Since its formation and through its subsequent iterations over the years, JCPL has continued to play a vital role in the city’s life.

JCPL Director Julia Turpin said, “The library serves as a vibrant center of engagement, offering resources and support to individuals from all backgrounds and at every stage of life.”

“While our services have evolved over the past 130 years,” she said, “our unwavering commitment to excellence and to meeting the needs of our community remains steadfast. We’re excited to celebrate that with our users.”

Learn about JCPL’s storied past at jcpl.org/history. For more information about the library’s 130th birthday celebration and Galleria exhibit, call 423-434-4454.

Visit jcpl.org, call 423-434-4450, or drop by 100 West Millard Street to use Johnson City Public Library services. Follow Johnson City Public Library on Facebook and Instagram to receive daily updates on library collections, programs and services.