Mississippi Delta native Floyd Council returns to his home state as the new executive director of the Meridian/Lauderdale County Public Library.

Council spoke enthusiastically about the downtown Meridian library at Thursday's meet-and-greet, welcoming and introducing him to the community.

"This is a great library and we plan to build on that greatness to make the best better," he said. "Libraries are the last anchors for the computer/digital world, providing free technology and ensuring equal access to everyone in the community."

Council has had an extensive career in public library systems that spans over 30 years. He previously managed the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C., the Jackson/Hinds Library System, as well as library systems around the country.