
DATE: Sunday, September 21, 1997            TAG: 9709190361

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 18   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   61 lines

SOUTH NORFOLK LIBRARY TO HONOR EX-MAYOR WITH ROOM DEDICATION

The Chesapeake public library system will dedicate on Friday a special literacy room at the South Norfolk Memorial Library in honor of Linwood L. Briggs Jr.

The dedication ceremonies, open to the public, will take place at 10 a.m., Friday at the South Norfolk library, 1100 Poindexter St. Scheduled to appear are Chesapeake Mayor William E. Ward, Chesapeake public library system director Margaret P. Stillman and Chesapeake Public Library Board chairman Burke Craver. ``We plan to have Mr. Briggs there to to cut the ribbon across the room,'' said Carole King, assistant director of Chesapeake public libraries and research activities.

The room to be dedicated to Briggs was funded through a state library grant when the South Norfolk library underwent expansion and modernization in the summer of 1989, King said.

``With that grant we were able to add a little extra space, which has gone to good use,'' King said. ``Ever since it opened it has been used for adult literacy training and tutoring.

She said the 12 feet-by-12 feet square room has been used over the years by the Tidewater Literacy Guild to help teach reading and literacy skills to adults. She said the guild makes teachers and tutors available and then matches them up with possible students.

Recently some furniture was moved out of the room to give it extra space and a fresh coat of paint has been added.

``It's only now that we've gotten around to dedicating the room to honor Mr. Briggs,'' King said.

Before Chesapeake became a city in 1964, Briggs was mayor of South Norfolk from 1957 to 1961. He was instrumental in proposing the construction of the South Norfolk public library in honor of those who lost their lives in World War II.

Besides being used for special literacy training, the room will now house Briggs' collection of historical South Norfolk photographs.

``They are photos of old South Norfolk, most taken in the '50s, and when he was mayor,'' King said. ``They show street scenes and scenes of churches and businesses. They're very interesting photos especially to those who lived in South Norfolk or who have a historical interest in the area.

``And from now on it will house this special photographic collection. When it's not being used for tutoring, people can come in and view the display. The door will always be open.'' MEMO: For more information about the upcoming ceremonies or use of the

Linwood L. Briggs Jr. Literacy Room, call the library at 382-6717. ILLUSTRATION: File photos

South Norfolk Mayor Linwood L. Briggs spoke at the dedication of the

then-new South Norfolk Memorial Library in 1959. It was his idea to

honor those who had lost their lives in World War II.

Linwood Briggs, circa 1959, will be on hand next Friday to cut the

ribbon on the new special literacy room.

This little hut served as the South Norfolk Public Library in 1952.

A new building was dedicated in 1959 and was expanded in 1989.