Millard Oakley Library Unveiling New Statue

Livingston’s Millard Oakley Library will have its broken fountain replaced by a new library-themed statue next month.

Library Director Judith Cutright said the new statue was made possible by a substantial donation from a member of the Livingston community. She said with the library located in a high-traffic area, making an impression on passers-by is vital to success and growth.

“We are hoping that the statue and the landscaping that we will do around it will draw people’s attention,” Cutright said. “Not just to the library, but to the businesses on the square and the community as a whole.”

Cutright said she plans to have the library’s “Storytime Children” craft decorations for the statue. She said the grand unveiling will be held at the library on April 19 with a reception following. Cutright said the whole community is invited.

“A library in any community is very important,” Cutright said. “There is so much that the library can do for the community and I am extremely proud of the library here in Livingston. It is a beautiful building.”

She said the old fountain had a bad pump and inadequate plumbing running water to it. She said when the pump failed, staffers were having to fill the fountain by hand. She said the fountain also had freezing issues in the winter and was at risk of becoming an eyesore.

“This has been talked about for a number of years and it had been in the planning stages even before my tenure here,” Cutright said. “But with this donation, we were finally able to bring the board and the former director’s vision to life.”

She said a local ceramics artist contributed to the statue’s decoration, yet another local contribution to the new feature at one of Livingston’s most beloved buildings.