LIBRARY JOURNEY

WORKING ON A

LIBRARY FOR ANNA

For about three years, a Library Committee was formed in hopes our special town would embrace the need for this amenity. Various members of our committee met with countless members of our community including city personnel, councilmen, AISD employees, local public librarians, and a couple historical society members. We have spoken at council meetings. We have received numerous phone calls from eager families with small children and seniors.

Eventually we developed a support page on Facebook. Our City Council deemed a Library a necessity for our growing community. Our name Anna Community Library grew to include Education Resource Center. We knew we wanted to embrace the Anna of the past as well as celebrate the Anna of the present and plan for the Anna of the future.

So our Library Committee decided it was time to turn up the volume. Earlier this year, we announced that we were forming a Friends Of Board for the Anna Community Library. We created a simple online application for those who were interested in applying to our Board and the response was fabulous. After carefully considering each applicant, I am incredibly proud to announce our Friends Of Board for the Anna Community Library and Education Resource Center. Many will be wearing multiple hats, but for now these are the main duties of each person. Thank you again for your service; we are incredibly lucky to have you. • President - Alexia Dolton Swanepoel • Vice President - John Rico • Secretary - Annie James Chaddick • Treasurer - Lynn Bryan • Business Liaison - Alonzo Tutson • City Council Liaison* - Nathan Bryan • Membership - Tamara Daffer Constien • Fundraising - Marie Lebo • Building/Architecture - Rego Va • Anna ISD Liaison - Dana Walker • Research - Kelly Patterson-Herndon

• Historian - Marietta Schell • Library Specialist - Lorelei Perkins • Library Specialist - Greta Adams • Staff Representative - Vacant *To be replaced by Library Board liaison once this

Board is appointed by City Council

In March, our Friends Of Board held its first meeting. We met with Ashley Stathatos, Managing Director of the City of Anna Community Services Department, as well as introduced ourselves to each other. I briefly brought everyone up-to-speed on how our Library Committee came together and eventually grew into the Friends Of Board. Immediate goals were discussed. We have a lot to do, but we are enthusiastic and eager.

Our primary goal is to seek a temporary location so we can offer at least the basic services of a library including Story Time and a Summer Reading Program. We realize that it may take a move or two before we find ourselves a permanent home which will allow us to expand our programs to reflect our in-town Anna population, our rural Anna population and the surrounding service population. We want to live up to the fullness of our name: Anna Community Library and Education Resource Center.

So how can you help? Join our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ groups/1949222625109713/. This is where you will hear all the latest information on what we are doing. For now, just knowing that we have the support of our local residents is so incredibly important. The biggest gift any of us can give to our community is literacy.

“To encourage literature and the arts is a duty which every good citizen owes to his country.” - George Washington

ALEXIA SWANEPOEL is the President of the Friends Of Board of the Anna Community Library and a published writer. Join her writing page and learn more about her book Bohemian Swan by visiting bit.ly/2JwWHNO.