New site for library

Some Elmore residents are working hard to make sure their city has a library.

But, it will be at a different site.

Currently housed in the front portion of a building where the wastewater treatment plant and city shop are located, a move is necessary because of planned upgrades.

“The library will be right on our main street, and that’s a positive thing,” says City Clerk Dianne Nowak. “It will give us more space that we need.”

Thanks to a $12,500 donation from residents Bill and Nancy Hurd, the city was able to purchase a building at 107 E. Willis St.

Current site of library

“I think there are some things that can be done to revitalize the downtown and help improve its aesthetics,” Bill Hurd says.

However, the structure is in need of some repairs.

So, the City Council voted unanimously at its Feb. 9 meeting to give the library board the go-ahead to seek funding from the USDA Rural Development program.

Nowak says the city will submit an application with input from library board members and the “Friends of the Library” group.

“It’s in the very, very preliminary stages. We haven’t yet figured out how much we’ll need,” she says. “We want to get going on this ASAP.”

Patty Coupanger, a member of the council and library board, says raising money to renovate the new building has already begun.

Soups and dinners have been held. Also, a mass mailing was done to graduates of Elmore High School.

Coupanger says enough money has been pledged so far to repair the roof.

“This is something that is going to take time and won’t be done overnight,” Nowak says.

In addition to fixing up the new building, equipment and whatever else is needed will have to be purchased.

A “fund-raising goal thermometer” erected at the new site shows that $20,000 of the targeted $80,000 has been raised.

Nowak says library board members recently met with a USDA representative and were encouraged to hear monies are available to help libraries.

“Friends of the Library” member Lois Wegner says the group was formed last year.

“We’ve known for some time it was going to be moved. We had to form this group because having a library is important,” says Wegner.