JAY — The Jay-Niles Memorial Library will celebrate its centennial year Saturday with an open house, a book sale and the grand opening of a craft area for children and teens.

The event is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a special cake served at 11:30 a.m.

The five sons of Mehitable and Varanas Niles built the stately library in memory of their parents and to fulfill their sister Eliza’s dream of having one, library Director Tamara Hoke said Friday.

Varanas moved to Jay from Massachusetts in 1807 at age 5. He married Mehitable Harris of Greene in 1829. They spent their married life on a farm about half a mile south of the library, according to a plaque in the front foyer.

The groundbreaking was in 1916 and construction was completed in 1917. The library opened in 1918 after being fully furnished. An addition was built in 1995 to provide for more books, community space and handicap accessibility, Hoke said.

The library has books for all ages, plus computers, movies and more.

There are 33,000 volumes of books and media in its collection, she said.

“We’re definitely still about books and always will be but we have come to realize some kids don’t have access to (technology) at home,” Hoke said.

Upstairs in Memorial Hall plaques with the names of Jay soldiers who served in the Civil War flank the stage.

Years ago, a Pastime Club met there and provided music and entertainment,

A piano from Hamilton Manufacturing of Chicago is in the corner of the hall. The Niles’ son, Eugene Niles, donated it to library before he died in 1926, Hoke said. It is used at times, she said.

Historical items and information on past programs will be on display at the open house.

The new Makerspace is for those ages 8 through teens years who want to create items using Legos, craft materials, a sewing machine and a 3-D printer.  

One of Hoke’s hopes is to have people use the front door again. Polycor in North Jay has offered to donate granite for front stairs that could extend to Main Street, like the stairs did in the past. The granite used for the building came from Hallowell.

“I think adding North Jay granite will add to the historical value of the building,” she said. 

dperry@sunmediagroup.net

Tamara Hoke, director of the Jay-Niles Memorial Library for 12 years, is among those preparing for the centennial celebration Saturday, Oct. 13, at the library in North Jay. (Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal)

A centennial celebration for the Jay-Niles Memorial Library will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the library on Main Street in Jay. (Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal)

Tamara Hoke, director of the Jay-Niles Memorial Library in Jay, stands next to a piano donated by Eugene Niles, one of five brothers who built the library in memory of their parents and to fulfill their sister Eliza’s dream of having a town library. It will be on display at the centennial celebration Saturday. (Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal)

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