NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Metro Council is set to meet , Jan. 21, and two items up for discussion would enhance the experience and programming at Nashville Public Libraries.
Two different resolutions on the Metro Council agenda would approve grants for the Nashville Public Library. One would allow for the funding and installation of an adult-sized changing table in the family restroom of the Bordeaux Branch Library. The other would approve the application of a $2,000 grant to expand the board game collection at the main library branch.
The adult-sized changing table would be provided through a $5,000 grant from the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging, according to the resolution text. There is no cash match required by Metro Nashville.
The Bordeaux Branch of the library is one of a number of locations in Tennessee that have such changing tables. Two years ago, the Tennessee Department of Transportation and Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities announced they would be installing adult-sized changing tables at four different rest areas across the state.
Adult-sized changing tables were installed at rest areas in Hamilton, Robertson, Haywood and Jefferson counties, the departments announced.
Clarksville also installed one changing table in a restroom at the Wilma Rudolph Event Center in Liberty Park in 2023.
According to the state grant program providing the tables, about 4% of the state’s population —around 200,000 people — need assistance with daily activities like using the restroom. In many cases, state officials said Tennesseans with disabilities have to choose between unhygienic settings such as a restroom floor or vehicle, or staying home, creating problems for both those needing assistance and their families and caregivers.
The other grant application would foster the growth of the library’s tabletop gaming section. According to the library’s grant application letter, the gaming section at the main branch has seen growing popularity. In 2023, the library said the collection’s cumulative circulation was 2,369 — and the circulation grew to 3,290 in 2024.
“Despite the growing popularity of our Board Game Collection, there is a critical need for resources to allow continued growth without compromising value for our patrons,” the library said in the letter. “To further bolster these programs, we propose establishing a collection of physical reference materials that will be readily available for patron usage.”
Having the reference collection will fill a “significant gap” in access, the library said, as there are “lengthy wait times or weeks or even months” for those who prefer physical references for tabletop games over online resources.
“This reference collection is meant to operate as a supplement to already existing popular programs and collections, encouraging patron library programming participation,” the library said in the application.
To view the full Metro Council agenda, follow this link. Metro Council meetings are livestreamed online on YouTube and the Metro Nashville Network website.
