The Power of a Great Library

August 25, 2025

A mom and her daughters stole the show at the Donelson branch grand opening. A year later, it’s still their home away from home.

New Chapters

Erycka Shorter and her girls have come a long way.

It’s been a year since they stood with Mayor Freddie O’Connell and other dignitaries in June 2024 to cut the ribbon on a then-brand new Donelson Branch Library. Erycka gave a moving speech on the power of books and the importance of early literacy, with her young daughters Payton and Payge by her side.

“Time has really flown by. I can’t believe it has already been a year since the grand opening,” Erycka said. “The original location was fabulous, but this is like Donelson 2.0. It’s a great new chapter for Donelson Library.”

It’s a new chapter for the Shorter family, too. Payton and Payge, now 12 and 10 years old respectively, have grown a combined total of four inches since then and are in the 7th and 5th grades. They just finished this year’s NPL Summer Reading Challenge, racking up more than 100 hours of reading time between them.

The Shorter family join in the ribbon cutting at Donelson branch's opening in June 2024.

Erycka, a self-described “small-town girl” who grew up in a Michigan town with “one flashing light,” worked as a teacher and principal in Wisconsin before bringing her family to Nashville in 2022.

New to town, they were without friends or family, and to make matters worse, they were in a serious car accident, leaving them without transportation for a time. A homeschool family, they walked to the former Donelson branch on Lebanon Road four to five times a week, and before long, the Donelson Branch—and Nashville—started to feel like home.

The Library Meets Payton's and Page's Needs As They Grow

In the beginning, the girls borrowed mostly from the children’s section. These days, they’re reading a range of materials, from biographies to graphic novels.

“When you have little ones, you check out books and go to story times. Over time that evolves to teen activities and researching homework projects,” Erycka said.

They have a lot to choose from. NPL’s collection of free books and materials at Donelson branch is more than 30,000 strong. In its first year, books and materials were checked out more than 200,000 times.

Lately, Payton and Payge like attending the Tuesday Treats program at Donelson, where they get to bake and cook in the mobile kitchen.

“It’s the homeschool version of a Home Ec class,” Erycka said.

They’re also learning to use the 3D printer, and making art in the teen area. But it hasn’t been all about learning. Finding a sense of community has been huge for the Shorters.

“Sometimes we come to the library on Sundays just to hang out, or visit with our favorite Library Associates,” Erycka said.

Something for Everyone

Located in the old Donelson Plaza shopping center, the 1-year-old branch is situated in the heart of things, revitalizing the area and attracting new businesses. In its first year, nearly 104,000 patrons visited the new branch and participated in countless free classes and programs. The new branch was built with sustainability in mind, so there are lots of programs to teach patrons about eco-friendly practices.

“At Donelson, we are learning about pollinator gardens and composting,” Erycka said. “There is always something new for people of all ages, not just kids.”

A Home Away from Home

Yes, it’s been a good year—a good journey—for the Donelson branch and for the Shorters.

“Those were good days, but I’m happy our walking days are over,” Erycka said. “Libraries are the best places in the world, and Donelson is our favorite place to be. It’s our home away from home.”