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The Mary Fuller Frazier Community Library offers its visitors tea in its reading corner.
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The Mary Fuller Frazier Community Library celebrated a grand opening at its new location last September.
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An engaging children’s area at the Mary Fuller Frazier Community Library is important to the board, with members saying they want to make sure the younger generation appreciates community libraries.
Courtesy of Beverly Niccolai
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Due to space constraints, about three-quarters of the library’s books remain in storage.
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The Mary Fuller Frazier Community Library has been in operation for over 60 years and is celebrating its first anniversary since its opening this September.
The library had been housed at Frazier High School since it opened, but was forced to move last summer after an assessment determined it was risky to build a public library on school property. The library’s books and programs found a new home in downtown Perryopolis, and in early September the facility celebrated its grand opening.
“We love our location,” said Debra Tidholm, chair of the library board. “We just wish we had space.”
The library is located at 400 Liberty Street in a building that also houses a flower shop, a doctor’s office and a tax office – a building that once accommodated dozens of visitors when it was part of the high school can now barely accommodate a dozen visitors.
And even though the bookshelves are full, that doesn’t mean that all the books are out of stock.
“Three-quarters of our collection is stored in St. John’s Church. We only have about a quarter of our children’s collection here,” said Tidholm.
According to board members, the move also brought other challenges.
“Financially, we didn’t have to worry too much (when the library was part of the high school),” said board member Frances Kranck.
Now rent, utilities and other expenses must be paid. An annual scholarship from the estate of Mary Fuller Frazier also helps with this. The scholarship used to be about $10,000 a year, but now it is only about half that amount, says Tidholm.
Fortunately, board members said, the community has rallied behind the library.
“Every business in town has reached out and tried to support us in any way they can,” Tidholm said.
The library’s board has applied for nonprofit status, which would allow it to apply for grants to keep the library afloat and expand its operations.
While there are some challenges, having a location separate from the high school also has many advantages, said board member Roseann Bowser.
“One of the advantages (of being an independent business) is that we can be open during the day,” she said.
This means they have the freedom to offer additional programs for children, and attendance has increased. In the small room of the library, there is a special area just for children, where games, toys and books are offered.
While the board looks for a permanent home with more space, it is focusing on the children who come through its doors.
“We are a library for the community and a library for the children. They are the future,” said Tidholm.
Upcoming campaigns/fundraisers include a picnic in the park in August, a Halloween story walk for children in October, a book party in November, and an auction and holiday-themed event in December. The library is on both Facebook and its official website, fraziercommunitylibrary.org.
