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Construction to begin on new library
by Denise Schoppe
Staff writer
The Marlin Democrat
June 22, 2005
Ground was broken on the site of the new Marlin Public Library on Friday, June 10.
A large gathering of people attending the ceremony at the corner of Oaks and Capps Streets to celebrate the building of the new facility that should be completed by November of this year.
In attendance were many who have donated both time and money to make the new library possible.
J. T. Dickenson and Roy Topham were present to represent the Jane and John Justin Foundation which has continued the support that Jane Chilton Justin, a Marlin native and sister of Marlin Library Board member Pauline Coquat, had for the library.
The Brown Foundation was thanked for their donation in memory of Posh Oltorf, which will make possible the archive room in which the library’s collection of genealogical material, historical materials, Senator Tom Connally’s law library and volumes of old The Marlin Daily Democrat.
Elida Gonzales, who has made the new conference room possible, was in attendance as well as Michael Hines, manager of HEB, who presenting the Library with a $7,000 check for use towards the new computer lab. City and county officials came out to support the cause as well.
Friends of the Library, volunteers, former board members and past librarians came out to celebrate the new library, and current Library Board members turned the dirt to represent the first steps in construction.
Current board members are Beth Mullins, Gene Brown, Polly and Robert Brown, Pauline Coquat, Jimmie Fitzhugh, Anjanetta Lynn, Phyllis Macmillan, Bobbie Milton, Melanie Rose, Celia Stem and Noah Williams.
Library board president, Beth Mullins, gave a history of the Marlin Public Library which was established in 1928 by a group of 50 local women and was located in a part of the City Council meeting room. Sectioned off by a chicken wire cage and a screen door, the library held on reading table, a chair, a librarians desk and a few shelves a donated books.
In 1938, what was originally called the Library Study Club was reorganized into the Marlin Library Board made up of two representatives of each of the 11 local organizations.
One year later, Mullins said, a $5000 bond issue passed to build what is the current library building. Dr. Bolivar Falconer purchased the lot for $2000 and gave an additional $3100 toward the project. This was done with the agreement that the city would match his funds.
The city gave bricks from a burned disposal plant and city workmen as part of their funding of the library. The Works Progress Administration also gave $3750 toward the new library which was opened on May 2, 1941.
In 1957 the library was air conditioned, and in 1961 an addition to the building was made to bring it to 1,920 square feet in size. The city owns the building, and it continues to provide maintenance and funds towards its operation.
Mullins said that in times of segregation, when a library was needed for blacks, Dr. Falconer donated land and helped establish the Falconer-Stamps Library in 1947. The building was acquired from the War Assets Administration and was a Hearne POW Installation Building. The two facilities merged in 1972.
The contractor for the new library is Chris Martinez of Martinez Construction. The new library plan is available for viewing at http://www.marlintexas.com/library/. It will be automated, contain a conference room, computer lab, genealogy archival and it will double the current book stacks.
Projected date of completion is November of this year. The library board thanks everyone who has dontated towards the new library.
by Denise Schoppe
Staff writer
The Marlin Democrat
June 22, 2005
Ground was broken on the site of the new Marlin Public Library on Friday, June 10.
A large gathering of people attending the ceremony at the corner of Oaks and Capps Streets to celebrate the building of the new facility that should be completed by November of this year.
In attendance were many who have donated both time and money to make the new library possible.
J. T. Dickenson and Roy Topham were present to represent the Jane and John Justin Foundation which has continued the support that Jane Chilton Justin, a Marlin native and sister of Marlin Library Board member Pauline Coquat, had for the library.
The Brown Foundation was thanked for their donation in memory of Posh Oltorf, which will make possible the archive room in which the library’s collection of genealogical material, historical materials, Senator Tom Connally’s law library and volumes of old The Marlin Daily Democrat.
Elida Gonzales, who has made the new conference room possible, was in attendance as well as Michael Hines, manager of HEB, who presenting the Library with a $7,000 check for use towards the new computer lab. City and county officials came out to support the cause as well.
Friends of the Library, volunteers, former board members and past librarians came out to celebrate the new library, and current Library Board members turned the dirt to represent the first steps in construction.
Current board members are Beth Mullins, Gene Brown, Polly and Robert Brown, Pauline Coquat, Jimmie Fitzhugh, Anjanetta Lynn, Phyllis Macmillan, Bobbie Milton, Melanie Rose, Celia Stem and Noah Williams.
Library board president, Beth Mullins, gave a history of the Marlin Public Library which was established in 1928 by a group of 50 local women and was located in a part of the City Council meeting room. Sectioned off by a chicken wire cage and a screen door, the library held on reading table, a chair, a librarians desk and a few shelves a donated books.
In 1938, what was originally called the Library Study Club was reorganized into the Marlin Library Board made up of two representatives of each of the 11 local organizations.
One year later, Mullins said, a $5000 bond issue passed to build what is the current library building. Dr. Bolivar Falconer purchased the lot for $2000 and gave an additional $3100 toward the project. This was done with the agreement that the city would match his funds.
The city gave bricks from a burned disposal plant and city workmen as part of their funding of the library. The Works Progress Administration also gave $3750 toward the new library which was opened on May 2, 1941.
In 1957 the library was air conditioned, and in 1961 an addition to the building was made to bring it to 1,920 square feet in size. The city owns the building, and it continues to provide maintenance and funds towards its operation.
Mullins said that in times of segregation, when a library was needed for blacks, Dr. Falconer donated land and helped establish the Falconer-Stamps Library in 1947. The building was acquired from the War Assets Administration and was a Hearne POW Installation Building. The two facilities merged in 1972.
The contractor for the new library is Chris Martinez of Martinez Construction. The new library plan is available for viewing at http://www.marlintexas.com/library/. It will be automated, contain a conference room, computer lab, genealogy archival and it will double the current book stacks.
Projected date of completion is November of this year. The library board thanks everyone who has dontated towards the new library.
