Gordon Community Library & Museum

Shaye Trigg and Victoria Low will lead a summer reading program for children at the library starting June 18th.

Children up through 12th grade are eligible for prizes that will be awarded based on the number of books read.  Simply come by the library and register and receive your reading log.

In addition there will activities every Friday from 10 to 12 beginning June 18th through the end of July.

Download a flyer here.

The library depends on its volunteers to keep things running.  There is no paid staff.   Volunteers enter new  books into the computer system and attach barcodes.  They also assist patrons in checking out books and checking in returns.

If you think you might like to volunteer at the library come by and talk to Director Tavia Tiblets.  New volunteer training classes will start soon.

Here you can see some of our younger staff.   Photos courtesy of Linda Schmanke.

Maybe its just symbolism  but it certainly seemed a moment of great significance on Thursday when the sign went up on top of the porch roof.  Everyone who witnessed it wanted a picture.

The library plans to open for business March 2 even thoughconstruction details are still on-going.  A grand opening will be announced later.

(top to bottom) Dwayne Petty, Max Wheeler, Bill Hopkins, Betty Allison, Lily Petty, Victoria Low.

7R Ranch has recognized the Gordon library with a generous donation of over $3500, part of the proceeds from a raffle held during the holidays festivities at the ranch.

Volunteers sort books in preparation for shelving

Meanwhile, work continues at the library as volunteers enter books into the catalog system.  So far almost 4,000 books have been cataloged.   The public can search the online catalog  here to see what we have, although materials cannot be checked out yet.

The front of the building is beginning to take on a new look also,  with new  glass in all the windows and a fresh coat of green paint on the doors.  Website colors have been changed to match.

Lily Petty models a Chinese tunic found on the rack at Twice Blest

About 80 people attended the ‘style show’ sponsored by the ladies of First Baptist Church in Gordon to benefit the new Gordon library, and almost $900 was raised in contributions.

The ladies modeled fashions they had selected off the racks at Twice Blessed, a local second-hand store.  In addition there were door prizes contributed by local businesses, music and refreshments.

Many attendees also brought children’s books which were donated to the library.

The library will hold a fundraiser in the form of  a style show featuring second-hand clothing, to be held in the fellowship hall of Gordon First Baptist Church on Saturday, January 16th at 10:30.

Everyone attending will be encouraged to wear something from Twice Blessed, a resale shop in Gordon, and asked to model it.

Music will be presented by Sandy Ford and her daughters. Door prizes will be given out. The boards of Twice Blessed and the Gordon Community Library will be introduced.

Children’s books will be purchased from donations received.

Those wishing to preview the yet-to-be-opened library can do so following the style show.   Considerable progress has been made on the remodeling.

The main obstacle remaining before opening is cataloging the books and shelving them in the proper order.    Contact someone on the library board if you can volunteer to help.

Bonnie Dickson atop scaffolding in the new library

Gordon’s own Michelangelo - Bonnie Dickson – is decorating the ceiling and top of the walls with her usual skill.  Meanwhile new carpet has been installed and the plumbers are making progress on the bathroom.

The library is expected to be open to the public sometime in January, according to Lily Petty. But first the books all need to be cataloged. The library is using a computer system called Biblionix to keep track of books. Volunteers will be needed to scan ISBN numbers into the system, tape the numbers to the spine of the books and then shelve them in the proper order.

As of early October, the roof of the old rock building has been repaired and electrical work started.

Materials have been purchased to build out a bathroom in the interior, but work on that is waiting on the lines for water and sewer to be finished.   Lily Petty reported that Kenneth Epperson would dig the trench for the line.

Meanwhile Lily and Betty Allison have been researching software for the library files.   A system needs to be selected soon so that the process of catalogging the books can get started.   Betty said that one company has already offered to donate computer equipment as soon as a 501(c)(3)  is received.  Lily and Betty are also working on that paperwork.