Mendon
librarian working to get county library system on the
ballot
By Chari
Ingraham
November 4, 2008 | MENDON -- Win Gardner, director
of Mendon Cottage Library, knows what it's all about
when it comes to creating educational opportunities
for Cache Valley. After all, she helped create Bridgerland
Literacy, a non-profit program designed to help illiterate
adults, teens, and children in Cache Valley.
This time she has a new project: creating a single
system for all of the libraries in Cache Valley.
In Cache County, each city library has its own system
and library cards. The county library, located in Providence,
and the Bookmobile work together to provide books for
everyone. However, Gardner said things would be much
more convenient and less confusing if all of the libraries
operated under one system. Similar to the system in
Salt Lake County, people could borrow and return books
from any library, and a carrier would return the books
back to the right libraries. Also, residents could use
their library card for any library in the valley.
Although the idea was previously petitioned to the
county, Gardner said it has yet to appear on the ballots.
She said she is continuing to collect names and will
petition again until it appears on the ballot.
"I thought I would end up teaching high school. I
ended up having eight kids and doing things like this,"
Gardner says, waving her hand towards the bookshelves
of her small library. "I can't stop volunteering when
something needs to be done."
Gardner said she has been director of Mendon Cottage
Library ever since it opened over three years ago. The
library offers books for all ages, from children's books
to adult fiction, and often gets popular books such
as Twilight and Leven Thumps.
Each year, the library gets $2,400 to spend on new
books, with volunteers and donations coming in each
week.
Although the library has been
doing well, Gardner said residents have been pushing
for a bigger building. Last summer during Mendon's Pioneer
Days celebration, there was an auction and a book sale
which raised over $3,000 towards funding.
"We are enthusiastic about a Cache County library
system," Gardner said.
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