Supporters of the Medaryville branch of the Pulaski County Public Library are lobbying the library board in hopes of keeping the branch open. It’s currently slated to close at the end of the year due to declining use and escalating costs. Several residents attended last Wednesday’s library board meeting. They say the library is not open at times that are conducive to use by families, and programs for youngsters are scheduled at times that conflict with church and school activities.
The library offers free wireless Internet access, and plans are to continue that service even after the building is closed. The wi-fi can be accessed from outside the building, but library supporters say that forces youngsters who don’t have access to the Internet at home to sit outside in the dark and cold to do homework. Several volunteers have offered to work shifts to keep the library open, including Pulaski County Councilman Mike Tiede. The board did not take any action on those offers.
Library Board President Rick Mynark said after the meeting he intends to query the board and find out exactly how they want to deal with the situation. The library board’s next scheduled meeting is in December.
