Over the years Ector County Library has seen its budget shrinking. They are in need of some repairs that the Commissioners Court may not be willing to fund. It is a hot topic that I have decided to take on. Here is what I found.
Ector County Library has been located at 321 W 5th St since 1981. Surprisingly the book circulation and library patronage per capita are among Texas’ highest. They open as early at 08:30 am and close as late at 8:30 pm 6 days per week. In addition to the library they have a computer lab, an audio visual department, offer notary service and have multiple children’s programs. Upon visiting the library around 9:30 Wednesday morning I was surprised to observe about 45 people already there reading, browsing and researching. I had the pleasure of having a detailed conversation with the lady in charge. She was forthcoming and eager to share the information I asked for. I found the information she provided to be astonishing. 94,290 people in Ector County possess a library card. They were not able to collect accurate data for 2020 due to COVID Shutdowns but In 2019 the data shows that 219,311 people visited the Ector County Library for one reason or another. That’s a whopping 18,276 people per month. Almost 400,000 transactions were conducted and a good guess says a cool million questions answered. I also found that not everyone can afford a computer and internet and appreciate having the library and the resources it makes available to them. I found that the library was not a luxury or waste of tax dollars but a necessity for some. I went in to this with the opinion that no one uses the library anymore but, wow! Instead of this I found that Libraries are important cornerstones of a healthy community. Libraries give people the opportunity to find jobs, explore medical research, experience new ideas, get lost in wonderful stories, while at the same time providing a sense of place for gathering. Our library is a unique and valuable resource and a lifeline to the world and all the information in it. I urge you to reach out to your elected officials and ask them to make a commitment to provide funds necessary to improve our public library. The intellectual and economic health of our community depends on it. I now 100% support giving the library the funding they need to ensure that knowledge and technology are available to everyone, not just those who can afford their own. The resources offered by the library help raise the education levels of society as a whole. The internet does not make the library unnecessary anymore than it does a bookstore. Reach out to these people and push for the funding needed.
Email the judge or any of the commissioners below to show you support funding our library. (silence does a disservice to us all)
- Judge Hays email@ liliana.grajeda@ectorcountytx.gov
- Greg.simmons@ectorcountytx.gov
- Armando.rodriquez@ectorcountytx.gov
- Mike.gardner@ectorcountytx.gov
- Don.stringer@ectorcountytx.gov