In recent weeks, it has been my pleasure to update area civic groups on the development of the Creston Area Library and Cultural Center, and the manifold statements of support we have since received are gratifying and inspiring. On behalf of our library board, I am excited to invite our patrons and friends to join the cause and spend the afternoon of Sunday, Aug. 7, with Matilda.
From 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Gibson Memorial Library, we’ll kick off our capital campaign, and Matilda is hosting quite a party. We’ll have two live bands, tattoos and face-painting, artists at work, a silent auction, my own history of our library, some tasty food, and to quote an old, old song, there will be an “old spinning wheel in the parlor.”
This will be an exceptional event. First of all, it’s on a Sunday, a day on which we do not ordinarily open our doors. I won’t say our mission will be sacred, but it will most certainly be special. Second, it will be your best opportunity to date to show your support for the Creston Public Library with a $15,000 matching gift in the wings, your donations will get extra bang for your buck, and get us off to a good start at meeting our goals to raise $1.9 million dollars locally.
Did you know that we are the only public library in Union County? By keeping our patrons connected to the world around them with our public computers and wireless internet access, we enable them to remain in the workforce and perform other tasks that insure their quality of life and the vitality of our community. Our ability to serve the community is, however, severely hampered by a lack of space.
With more than 3,000 school age children in our service area, we are only able to serve about 30 at a time. As a result, school groups are deprived of the opportunity to experience our library. Recently, we have hosted local history presentations in our genealogy room, and with just 25 attendees, the room was full. Without meeting rooms for large or small groups, we are unable to meet community needs in ways that public libraries ordinarily do, and if you’ve browsed our shelves lately, you know that we have run out of room for new materials.
The good news is that your library board and over a dozen influential civic organizations are backing a plan that doubles the size of our library at its current location. The plan restores our grand east entrance, and is a beautiful architectural bookend to our library as it stands today.
If anything, past attempts to expand the library or move it elsewhere have shown the tremendous loyalty to our current location. In recognition of that, our library board has wisely chosen to build on the legacy of the Matilda J. Gibson Memorial Library and create a beacon for area arts, but we need our friends and patrons to help us reach our goal.
Over the past year, I have met a great many fine folks here in southwest Iowa who are passionate about our library, and who are eager to see the community restore it as a central point of civic pride – just as it was when we opened our doors April 7, 1931. So come to the library Sunday, Aug. 7, and let me entertain you with details that I’ll bet you don’t know about the Creston area and our library’s origins.
I’ll be inside, but the big fun and fellowship will be outside. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share your passion for the Creston area and our public library. You’ll hear much more about it in the days to come, but I didn’t want to pass up a chance to extend a heartfelt invitation to all our patrons and friends to join us at the library on the first Sunday in August, so save the date. The library board has a great vision to build on Matilda’s legacy, so let’s join together and make it happen.