Do you want a library?

Citizens of East Parker County, do you want a public library? If yes, we need to pay for it!

The recent guest column by the East Parker County Library (EPCL) President of the Board, Kathy Mason, asked that question, which is the same question I asked in a similar column several years ago when I was EPCL board president. The message is still the same. You want it, you must pay for it.

ECPL belongs to everyone and to no one. It is a non-profit organization and does not belong to any political entity. It is NOT the Aledo Library.

When I went on the board of EPCL in 2003, the doors were about to shut. It was August and there were not enough funds to pay expenses through the end of fiscal year in October. Why?

The folks in charge had received a Lockheed Foundation grant, and volunteer contractors helped build out the old post office where the library is now, from a store front. EPCL had a real presence.

Unfortunately, the board had not crunched the numbers and there were not enough expected funds budgeted to meet everyday operating expenses. The board immediately began having fundraisers. Kyla Rosenberger held a large book sale. Jan Orr-Harter and husband Tom held the Garden Party at their historic home on Jenkins Road for many years.

We went after larger grants to pay off the mortgage and buy good computers. That mission was accomplished by the time I left after six years. We had managed to save $30,000.00 in reserve. We had no mortgage and up-to-date computers and tables. We had DSL thanks to Aledo Broadband.

But, foundations will not donate grants for operating expenses.

The cities, including Aledo, under the leadership of Mayor Kit Marshal, increased their contributions. The largest contributor, Parker County, would not increase their contribution of $20,000.00. The Aledo ISD turned us down. The ISD got the benefit of our books and especially our computers but would not help the EPCL.

At that time we operated on $70,000.00 per year Today, according to Ms. Mason’s column, the budget is $100,000.00. Very low amounts for a library who serves East Parker County and its population.

Bottom line is, there are still not enough funds to support very low operating costs.

In case you are wondering, as I was, is the library needed in this age of computers and Amazon books? I stopped in a couple of years ago at EPCL and introduced myself to ask those questions. To my surprise the computers are used by many students who have no access to them after school hours. There is often a line to use a computer. The library staff keeps a timer to let users know when their time is up.

Senior citizens on a budget and students need the books and computers.

So what can you do to help? Let your elected city leaders in our various cities know. Tell your county commissioner you want the support increased and thank them for support in the past.

And you can write a check to donate. And tell your friends.

The alternative is to shut the doors and sell the very valuable property. If we can’t pay low salaries, insurance, electric bills etc, there will eventually come a time when there is no other thing to do.