(BATESVILLE, AR) – The Independence County Library will reopen to the public on April 13 for browsing and checking out materials. The library will limit the number of people browsing to eight (8) persons at a time. Areas of the library that encourage socializing will remain closed until further notice. This includes the play areas of the children’s department and the reading lounge.
Public computers will continue to be available with the current restrictions in place, but appointments will not be necessary.
The Library will also continue to offer curbside service for patrons who wish to check out materials. Curbside service is available Monday through Thursday 9am to 6pm, Friday 9am to 5pm, and Saturday 9am to 1pm.
The Bad Boy Café featuring T’s Boxed Lunches will reopen on Monday, May 3, with extended hours and will offer coffee and snacks in the afternoons, Monday through Friday.
Library Director, Vanessa Adams, wishes to express her deepest appreciation to the library board for their support during the pandemic, as well as a heartfelt thank you to the citizens of Independence County for their patience and understanding. Adams stated, “Our entire library staff have missed our patrons and appreciate how kind they have been during this stressful time. Now that the staff who wished to be vaccinated are receiving their second dose of the vaccine next week, we feel that it is safer to reopen the library.”
For continued updates on the library’s status, visit the library’s website at: www.indcolib.com. You may also email inquiries to: info@indcolib.com or call: (870) 793-8814, ext. 1. Visit the library’s Facebook and Instagram pages for updates and video story times.
Cathy Drew is a lifelong resident of the region that she loves to promote. She was born in downtown Batesville in the late ’60s, located in one of the eight counties she now enjoys encouraging people to visit.
Drew became associated with the Ozark Gateway Region in 1990 while working at the ad agency (The Media Market Inc.). The agency handled marketing for the regional association, where she and her co-workers produced an annual tabloid publication. She began working as the Ozark Gateway Region director in June 2000.
After Drew became director, she took the region to the next level by helping the tourism organization create a new website and moved it from the old newspaper paper tabloid publication to a color magazine format. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Over the years, Drew has helped the organization meet new marketing goals, such as in- and out-of-state marketing, assuring that all 100,000 copies of their magazines are distributed each year.
In 2016, she assisted in creating the first Ozark Gateway Region Golf Classic. The tournament continues to grow each year, allowing the organization to expand its co-op program and helping each county have dedicated promotion. Drew stays busy at Ozark Gateway as the ad sales manager, magazine editor, day-to-day office operations, trade show representative, and magazine distribution representative, all while ensuring that the region is represented all over Arkansas and southern Missouri.
Drew was featured in several local and statewide publications over the years, as well as the 1997 cover of the Ozark Gateway Region tabloid, along with her then 4-year-old son, Jon. She has received several awards, such as the Batesville Rotarian of the Year in 2010 and a three-time Paul Harris Fellow.
She also has served as an Independence County election commissioner for several years. She now serves as their co-election coordinator, helping with behind-the-scenes management of voting equipment, day-to-day election deadlines, and poll worker training.
Drew serves on the Arkansas Travel Council Board of Directors, is Batesville Rotary Club Past President, and is the Rotary Clubs’ current publicity chair.
In March of 2018, Drew was honored with induction into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame for her many years of dedicated service to the tourism industry.