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| Tuesday, February 9, 2010 |
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Tough times ahead
Published January 21, 2009
In a continuing effort to meet with community leaders from throughout Jackson County, Commission Chairman Sadie Bias recently met with the directors of the county's five public libraries to get their input about the individual needs of their communities.
Bias met with Louise Brown, Director of the Lena Cagle Public Library in Bridgeport; Martha Davis, Director of the Stevenson Public Library; Dianne Romans, Director of the Dutton Public Library; Nancy Gregory, Director of the Scottsboro Public Library; and Karen Chambers, Director of the Woodville Public Library.
Bias and Commissioner Horace Clemmons have set up monthly meetings with the mayors of all towns in Jackson County to discuss their needs and the possibility of finding grant money to meet those needs.
During the meeting with the library directors, Bias announced that representatives from unincorporated areas of the county have also been invited to represent their areas as well.
"I want the community to know we are here to help," Bias said. "To help you, we need your help. Tell us what you need."
Chambers said the Woodville library's biggest need is keeping its TARCOG aide whose contract ends this year. Chambers said the town would have a difficult time hiring someone else if they had to replace her.
"We are a very small town, and we do not have a lot of funds," Chambers said.
Bias, who serves on the TARCOG board, said she would try to help keep an aide at the library.
Chambers said the Woodville Library is known for going out of its way to help clients, and she manages the little money she receives very well. She applies for E-rate funding which can be used for the telephone and internet bills. She estimated those bills would cost the library about $3,000 per year, but they only pay about $300 a year thanks to the E-rate funding.
Gregory said the Scottsboro library's biggest need is funds to purchase books and audio materials. She said the library had recently been notified the funds it receives from the state have been cut by 9 percent, and the cuts may get even worse before the end of the year.
Dutton has a new library, so its needs are great, Romans said. Their needs range from books and materials to financial donations. She said Dutton's library is used by many neighboring towns.
Romans said she works as town clerk for Dutton, but the library has two TARCOG aides who work there.
Both Scottsboro and Dutton's libraries received a computer with a web cam to be used for military families to communicate with their loved ones who have been deployed overseas. These computers can be used by the general public, but military families have preference.
Stevenson Public Library's greatest need is additional computers, according to Davis. She said the library has a large demand for computers for children to use for their school work.
Davis said she has no assistance from an aide or any other employees. Bias said she would try to help her get a TARCOG aide.
"We need a new building," Brown said. "Ours is so small we can't add anything new unless we throw something out."
Brown said Bridgeport's library also needs money to purchase additional books and more computers.
Brown said many people use the library to apply for jobs online, search for jobs and write resumes.
"When the economy gets bad, we have more people come into the library," Brown said.
Not only do people use the computers for career searches, they also use the library to check out books and DVD's instead of purchasing them.
Brown also helps students with their homework and testing when the library is closed.
"We need our libraries," Bias said. "They are so important."
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