Much may change about the world, but it is important that libraries remain a strong presence in it — a place where people can come to access knowledge and stories.

The residents of Buckingham County are in need of a new public library, and thankfully, it appears this project is inching closer toward becoming a reality.

It is key that the new Central Virginia Regional Library (CVRL) Director, Rick Ewing, is an advocate for a new library in Buckingham, where he served as branch manager for a little more than a year.

Ewing assumed the position of CVRL director Feb. 6.

“The first two weeks have been summed up in one word — budget,” he said.

When I asked him about the possibility of Buckingham getting a new library, he lit up at the mention of it.

“Other than the budget and a couple of other sort of workaday things that I need to do, the Buckingham Library is my focus,” he said.

Ewing noted that Buckingham’s board of supervisors is warming up to the notion of it.

The Herald previously published an editorial, urging supervisors to move forward with the concept of a new library in a new building. The editorial stated that Library Liaison Committee member Spencer Adams and others have designed a $1.8-2 million library.

Ewing was not specific in his comments whether he was discussing a new library building or a new library in an existing facility, but he gave an update on the progress toward a new library in general. He said there are a lot of good people on the board in Buckingham, and “they’re giving it serious thought, looking at it in a smart way, I think we’re a lot closer than we used to be, and if I have anything to do with it, we’ll have a new library in Buckingham County.”