In our latest episode (recorded prior to the library's grand reopening celebration on June 13), Sarah and Grace sat down with former library director Donna Nicely. Donna led Nashville Public Library from 1995–2011 after being recruited from the DeKalb County Public Library in Decatur, Georgia. She arrived in Nashville while plans for the new Main Library were still in their early stages.

Without giving too much away, it was a joy to hear Donna reflect on how the Main Library came to be, the memorable moments of her tenure, and the journey that culminated in meeting Michelle Obama in Washington, D.C., when NPL received the National Medal for Museum and Library Service in 2010. Throughout the conversation, Donna is quick to credit the many people who made the library's success possible, including Phil Bredesen, Bill Purcell, Margaret Ann Robinson, and countless others. But please go and listen to hear the rest of the story!

And if you'd like a glimpse of the Main Library's early days, check out the photos below - a few from the grand opening on June 9, 2001...