Avoyelles Police Jury discusses expanding library services

There are plans being discussed to expand parish library services in Effie, Cottonport and Mansura. However, two Avoyelles Parish Police Jurors made it clear they want to be sure their areas aren’t “put on the back burner” they contend they have occupied for far too long. Jurors Marsha Wiley, whose district includes Ward 1, and Glenn McKinley, who represents Mansura, said their areas are in dire need of the proposed improvements.

Ward 1 has never had a library and it is almost as close to go to a Rapides Parish branch as it is to cross Red River to go to the Marksville branch. Mansura has a library, but McKinley said it is “little more than a closet.”

Meanwhile, Cottonport’s library is close to an agreement to move into a donated building that will improve library services in that area.

Wiley said she does not begrudge Cottonport a new and better library, but doesn’t want that to mean it delays the Effie community from finally getting a library on that side of the river.

McKinley echoed that sentiment for Mansura.

Until just recently, all hopes for a new library in Mansura were pinned on the Town of Mansura donating the old Cleco building to serve as the larger quarters. The building had been leased by a health clinic, but that clinic built its own larger facility nearby.

MANSURA TRAIN DEPOT

In the past few weeks, the favored site of the new Mansura library is the almost-renovated historic Mansura Depot.

The town is remodeling the old depot to serve as a museum and tourist attraction. It is in the process of acquiring displays to exhibit once the work is finished.

Mansura Mayor Kenneth Pickett said he is very excited about the prospect of having the library share the depot with the museum. He said it is definitely a “win-win” for both parties.

“The town will pay the insurance for the building, since it is a town-owned facility,” Pickett said. “The library will pay the utilities, install surveillance cameras and provide equipment such as computers.”

Pickett said the library gets a better facility for its programs and the town sees the depot used more to benefit the public.

The mayor said he and Town Council members were concerned that “we were finishing a depot museum that we had not money to operate.”

The town received a federal grant and had to put up a considerable amount of local funds for the project.

This is only Phase I of what town officials say will take at least two, and possibly three, projects to complete. Pickett said under the recent discussions, library staff would also be able to assist museum visitors. That would relieve the town from having to hire employees to staff the museum.

Perhaps the biggest plus to the proposal is that the library can offer educational programs and after-school access to computers for students in the Mansura area.

In Effie, the focus will be on site location for the Ward 1 branch.

There is no question that it will happen -- and, by all comments to date, will happen this year -- but there is concern as to how long it will take before it happens.

Police Jury President Charles Jones told jurors at last week’s agenda-setting meeting that Library System Director Theresa Thevenote said she intends too address all three projects -- Effie, Mansura and Cottonport -- as soon as possible.

Thevenote said the Mansura proposal “hasn’t been finalized yet, but it certainly is on the table.” She said finding a suitable site for a Ward 1 library is a priority so that project can become a reality.

The Cottonport relocation is also in the early stages of discussion.

Another project is to expand the Bunkie branch to add a community room where the library could offer programs or have available for community meetings.

“It would be great,” she said.

“I have to say that I love the symbiotic relationship of museums and libraries,” Thevenote said, noting that the two community services complement each other in many ways.

“In fact,” she continued, “we are trying to get the Fish and Farm Museum back up and running at the Simmesport branch. We will be working with the Town of Simmesport to see what can be done to make that happen.”

The museum in the branch was damaged when Hurricane Gustav tore through the area in 2008.