A library is typically a place of quiet with patrons reading, studying, or using a computer.
But this weekend, Dothan’s downtown library will become an 18-hole miniature golf course as a fundraiser for the Dothan-Houston County Library System.
“Basically when you walk in the front door of the library, we’ll have 18 holes set up kind of going in a clockwise motion,” Dothan-Houston County Library Director Chris Warren said. “We’ll also use some of the natural features of the library … some of the shelves and some of the chairs and the stacks and things like that to create obstacles and create paths for each individual hole on the course.”
Saturday, the Library Mini Golf Classic will be held from 6:30-10 p.m., offering a “country club casual” event for adults 21 and older. Admission is $50 per person, which includes two drink tickets, heavy appetizers from KBC, a silent auction, and the chance to play miniature golf in the library.
People are also reading…
On Sunday, the indoor golf course will open from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. for the Library Mini Golf Family Fun Day. Admission is $5 for the all-ages event with food trucks on site. Tickets can be purchased at the door.
Visit www.dhcls.org for more information and links to register through the library’s event calendar.
Funds raised on both days will support the library’s collections, early literacy programs, and community outreach activities.
The library system is working with a company out of Massachusetts to help install the equipment and transform the library into a miniature golf course, Warren said.
Outside of the Friends of the Library book sales, the local library system doesn’t have a signature fundraising event. If the Library Golf Classic goes well, it could become an annual thing.
The one thing Warren thought would be hard was getting sponsors. That turned out to be easy thanks to the willing support of local businesses and individuals, he said. Every “hole” has a sponsor as does Saturday’s “19th hole” in the library’s community room featuring the food and drinks. The library system even found sponsors for the welcome table, the club pickup table, and silent auction.
“I’ve been really overwhelmed in a good way with how generous people have been in wanting to be part of this event as a sponsor,” Warren said.
Last year, the library system had more than 111,000 visitors and patrons borrowed 170,000 items.
Established in 1949, the system now serves a population of about 105,000 residents through its main library, two branches, a bookmobile, and its digital collection. Along with books, audiobooks, and ebooks, the library system offers regular programs and even has a Library of Things and a Seed Library.
Warren said he hopes the event will not only be fun for people and a good fundraiser for the library system.
“We want to raise funds for our collections, for our early literacy programs, for our community outreach activities in particular,” Warren said. “We’re also hoping to get people to visit the library who may not have been there in a long time… I think this is a good opportunity to show people what we have.”
Peggy Ussery is a Dothan Eagle staff writer and can be reached at aussery@dothaneagle.com or 334-712-7963. Support her work and that of other Eagle journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at dothaneagle.com.