Weslaco library receives grants

WESLACO — Two large grants recently awarded to the Weslaco Public Library will be used for renovations and improvements to the library and its programs.

A $15,000 grant from Target retailers will be used to boost the summer reading program, while the $12,625 Loan Star Libraries grant will provide an additional 10 percent of funding to the library’s existing budget, Library Director Michael Fisher said. Last year, the library received $6,009 from Loan Star Libraries, a state aid program for Texas public libraries administered by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Fisher is drawing a performance plan for the state loan, while the Target loan will be deposited immediately for the summer reading program.

“This money is a windfall we can use to long term benefits,” he said.

The grant money will be used to enable copiers to scan and create PDF documents, upgrade and maintain furniture and upgrade the reference desk. The grant money will also be used for future projects like helping to bring Cinesol to the library again next year, he said.

The grants will also be used to create database options by adding a licensed database similar to a set of reference books on computer, said Jesus Campos, library assistant director.

The library already has TexShare Databases from the Texas State Library that can help students with research. The database is also a business, genealogy, history, health and medicine resource with updated, full-text articles from periodicals.

With the aid of databases and the grants, many outdated reference books can be replaced with more recent books, library officials said.

“(We’ll) update the whole collection, we’ve been needing that for years,” Fisher said. “Already, the collection is about 75,000 books and that’s the capacity of the library. That’s a reason why we want to go into a database because currently we’re at shelving capacity.”

Campos said one of those outdated books was found a few years ago when a student discovered a 1950s book entitled “Asbestos is our Friend.”

“Each book will be evaluated on their own elements,” said Campos, who added that some of the older books will be sold in the library bookstore, some will be donated to the Weslaco Museum and some will have to be completely discarded.

“Any library to remain useful has to go back and update the collection. The goal is 10,000 books to replace 10,000 books,” said Fisher.

The additional aid for the summer reading program will visible June 2008 when the program begins, said Carmen Garcia, library public services supervisor.

“(We’ll) get a children’s author to come and speak to the children and probably look into bringing different performers,” she said.

With the potential of additional grants in the future, Fisher said there are more plans in the works for the library.

“We’d like to look into expanding on the north side of town. We’re working on a plan,” he said.