The Ector County Library has seen its ups and downs but the recent commissioners court appointments give promise to its future. At todays commissioners meeting Judge Hays announced the appointment of a committee to study the counties needs for a library and whether or not it would be cost effective to remodel the current library or construct a new facility. Those appointed to the committee were as follows….. Craig Stoker, Randy Ham, Sondra Eoff, Peggy Dean and Tim Ogilvy. I have faith that this fine group of people will thoroughly research the facts and work together for the better of this community.
I was shocked at the amount spent on maintenance at our current library. In speaking with the building maintenance director I learned that the maintenance costs had swelled to more than $115,000 per year with utilities averaging another $71,000 bringing the cost of keeping the current facility going to more than $15,000 per month. I am pushing for a more affordable modernized facility. I think a prime location would be the empty lot where the Odessa American used to be located at 222 E 4th Street. If we were to get a new library, maybe a developer would purchase the current building and build some apartments downtown.
My most recent research in to the Ector County Public Library found that some 94,290 people possess a library card and more than 200,000 people visit our library every year which is almost 20,000 people per month or about 750 people per day. These are astonishing numbers. 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 discovered that libraries are important cornerstones of a healthy community. Our library is a unique and valuable resource and a lifeline to the world and all the information in it. The resources offered by the library help raise the education levels of society as a whole. Surprisingly, the book circulation and library patronage in Ector County per capita are among Texas’ highest. Our library has a computer lab, audio visual department, offer notary service and have multiple children’s programs. The internet does not make the library unnecessary anymore than it does a bookstore. Let’s push for 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.