Thanks to an outpouring of support from the community, the TLC Community Center will begin installation of 20 Neighborhood Lending Libraries today.

Less than a month ago, TLC Community Center Founder and Director Angie Odom announced her idea of placing neighborhood lending libraries throughout the county to help make books more accessible to children living in more rural areas who might not be able to make it to the public library. Now, she said thanks to the support of the community, that dream is a reality and work will begin to place the libraries in communities today.

“The support from the community has been amazing,” Odom said. “We have been blessed by how many people have wanted to help.”

Sponsors from the community donated the money for the Center to purchase the plastic racks to house the books — 12 large three-tiered racks and eight smaller racks.

Donations of books have also been arriving at the Center since the project was announced, Odom said. So far, the center has collected a large number of books for pre-School and elementary age children, she added.

“We’re definitely in need of older age books, like for junior high and high school levels,” Odom said.

Those wishing to donate new or gently used books can bring them to the TLC Community Center, located at 145 Judge Don Lewis Boulevard in Suites 5-7. Books can also be dropped off at Big John’s Closeouts, located at   238 E Elk Ave., and at the Elizabethton Star office, located at 300 N. Sycamore St.

TLC Neighborhood Lending Library Locations:

• Shirley’s Home Cooking

• Little Milligan Baptist Church

• Elk Mills Volunteer Fire Department

• Brown’s Grocery and Hardware

• Swimming Pool Road

• Harmony Free Will Baptist Church

• Gap Creek Christian Church

• Valley Forge Christian Church

• Jack’s Grocery

• Roan Mountain Community Park

• Blevins Chapel

• Central Community Church

• Fairveiw Baptist Church

• Biltmore Baptist Church

• West Carter County Volunteer Fire Department

• Hunter First Baptist Church

• New Liberty Free Will Baptist Church

• Dungan Chapel Baptist Church

• Two more locations are being finalized and will be announced later.