Shared from County Spotlight article from washingtoncountytn.org here.

Washington County is looking at possibly relocating the current Gray Library. The County has issued a Request for Proposal for a new library location, situated within two miles of the current library site on Bobby Hicks Highway. Some of the requirements include a minimum of 15,000 square feet of commercial space, suitable for use as a library. The building must be ADA compliant with ample parking for at least 75 library patrons and employees. The County would like to do a multi-year lease or purchase for the property.

“The Gray Library is bursting at the seams right now,” said Washington County Mayor Joe Grandy. “We are looking at opportunities to relocate the library in order to accommodate the growth in Gray. But the first step is this request for proposal and seeing what buildings may be out there.”

Hollie Hallinen, the Gray Library manager, said the library issues 30-50 new library cards per month and has seen a continuous increase in the number of patrons year over year since the pandemic. She said a record setting, 231 patrons walked through the doors of the Gray Library on January 2, 2024.

Sealed proposals will be accepted until 2 pm, Thursday, February 7 at the Office of the Purchasing Department in Jonesborough. To receive the RFP Packet or for more information, please visit https://www.washingtoncountytn.org/184/Purchasing or call Willie Shrewsbury at 423-753-1642.