Friday, March 28, 1997
Branch library approved
By ANTHONY WILSON
Staff Writer
A library branch is in store for Abilene.
The City Council on Thursday approved a recommendation from
the Citizens Library Review Panel to open a storefront branch
in the city's southwest. According to the panel's guidelines,
the branch should be in a visible, convenient, high-traffic area
such as the Mall of Abilene.
City officials expect to spend the next two months searching
for and securing a site. The branch is tentatively scheduled to
open by Oct. 1.
The council also OK'd opening the downtown library from 1-5
p.m. on Sundays and extending Wednesday hours from 6 p.m. to 9
p.m. That change should begin in early May.
"It's a red-letter day in the life of library services
in Abilene," a beaming City Librarian Cynthia Pirtle said
afterward. "We're rolling. I'm so pumped up.
"There's been so much favorable input from the community,"
she added. "They're behind us and ready. Their reaction has
been, 'Do it - yesterday.' "
The recommendations, which also include launching a public
information campaign about library services, preceded a coming
suggestion on how to expand the 42,000-square-foot, 38-year-old
downtown facility.
Two consultants last week backed moving the central library
into the bottom three levels of the NationsBank Tower. The panel
hopes to issue its findings to the council within two months.
But, it wanted to rush the recommendations on the branch and
longer hours to the council so immediate action could be taken.
The extended hours will simply be a matter of hiring extra
staff. Pirtle assured the cost can be squeezed into this year's
budget. Next year, she'll budget approximately $21,000 to cover
the longer hours.
The branch will be more complicated.
Along with securing a site of 3,000-5,000 square feet, bookshelves,
furniture and materials must be ordered, staff hired and the operation
organized.
City staff will open the branch with the $200,000 the council
earmarked in this year's budget for library improvements. Annual
operating costs are estimated at $250,000.
The branch is expected to hike usage of and support for the
library system, which could aid in future bond issues.
The storefront operation is meant to be a steppingstone to
a larger branch in about six years, Pirtle said. She envisions
a permanent facility growing to 20,000 square feet over about
20 years.
The new library shop will contain 85 percent children's materials
and 15 percent adult reading. It will feature computer access
to the main library and inter-library loans from the downtown
collection and from other libraries worldwide.
The branch will offer story hours and other kiddie activities
and a computer loaded with popular software. It reportedly will
boast a bright atmosphere and a bookstore ambience to encourage
browsing.
"It's a little unusual to get approval on the first reading,"
panel chairman Ed Patton said after the council's vote. "It's
a reflection of the support of the community for library services.
I don't think I've had a negative comment."
Mayor Gary McCaleb reported the council has been fielding citizen
reaction on the recommendations - all of it positive, he said.
"Citizens are paying attention," McCaleb said. "Everyone
is real comfortable with the recommendations. People are really
impressed with the work of this committee and feel they're headed
in the right direction."
Though Thursday's action represented big steps for the Abilene
Public Library, the system lags behind those in other Texas cities
that have long included storefront branches and Sunday hours.
Most libraries reportedly do more business on Sunday afternoons
than during any other day.
"We're wagging the tail," panel member Harold Nixon
noted.
The public information campaign will be funded in next year's
budget.x
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Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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