Utah State University - » Mendon residents worried about library’s future

Mendon residents worried about library’s future

November 7th, 2009 Posted in Opinion

By Kade Delis

MENDON—The future of Mendon’s library has raised concern among town residents.

The Mendon Cottage Library, located on 90 N. Main, and its lack of funding from the city, has raised so much concern among the residents that it was brought up at the Meet the Candidates night (which the library also sponsored) on Oct. 29. Some of the candidates called it a luxury for the city; others said it was vital for the community as a whole.

The library has made numerous changes to save on budgets, such as only opening its doors two days a week. The library has not even had a certified librarian since March, according to the former librarian Win Gardner.

“People are still visiting and are happy about it,” says Gardner. “We appreciate the faithful Mendon people.”

Gardner also said that she and other residents meet for a library board meeting once a month. They are currently working on keeping the library and reforming the building.

“The state has rules and regulations and we can’t meet that,” Gardner said. “We’re now running independently.” With no librarian, she said the building is now operated by volunteers.

“Personally, I don’t think this country would be what it is without volunteers,” Gardner says.

Jared Kidman, a teacher and local business owner is among those citizens who wishes the library to continue.

“I kinda like it,” says Kidman. “It’s one more thing in the valley. It is not just there for fourth and fifth-graders but there for everybody.”

The budget for the library, said Gardner, was $8,000 a year. It covered the building, utilities, and wages but they needed more.

“We are frugal,” Gardner says. “We have little allocation from the city council or certified librarians.”

Newly elected mayor Ed Buist said at the meeting that he does support the library but they must not depend solely on the city for money. He suggested the library find other means of funding other than help from the council.

“We have to make do with what we have now,” said Buist. “But I’ll try to make do better.”

The library has been operating for four years. Gardner says that admission and a library card is still free.

Tags: Cottage Library, funding, Mendon