It all started with the restrooms, head librarian Tina Williams said.
“They were looking pretty worn out and shabby, and they badly needed to be retiled,” she said.
Giving it a bit more thought, the director of Cleburne Public Library decided to go for it and asked the city for money to re-carpet the library.
The old carpeting is rippled in some areas and stained in others by library patrons who ignore requests to leave food and drinks outside.
The tiling of the bathrooms is finished, and wall coverings are soon to be installed. Re-carpeting, which will cost the city about $25,000, will begin next week and be completed by the end of the month.
“Ideally,” Williams said, “I’d like for all the work to be done by the time school is out so that we’ll have a really pleasant and inviting environment for kids to come to.”
The old carpeting lasted 10 years, Williams said.
Installing the carpet will not be easy, she said. Books have to be removed from shelves in order and returned in order. Books, tapes and other materials will be stored in boxes so the book cases can be removed from the floor to allow the carpet to slide under them.
Book shelves are a touchy subject with Williams. On Friday, a wall of shelves fell onto one of her librarians. The librarian is bruised but otherwise fine, Williams said.
“I shudder when I think of what might have happened if that was a little kid,” she said. “It was in the children’s section that the shelves fell.”
When the bookshelves are replaced, Williams intends to be more vigilant about how secure the shelves are.
“Things like that shouldn’t happen,” she said.
With all the renovation under way, the library also has more services to offer.
One new electronic item, shaped like an iPod, supports a self-contained audiobook.
Visitation numbers are up at the library, Williams said. And although book borrowing is down slightly, computer use is up, she said. She wants more adults to visit the library for computer classes and book discussion clubs, and she hopes the new decor and the new digital innovations will help lure them in.
Michael Mager can be reached at 817-645-2441,
ext. 2338, or features@trcle.com.
Local News
Changes taking place at library
New carpet being installed, some services added
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May/June 2012 Community Life magazine
The May/June 2012 edition of Community Life magazine is available for online viewing. Click here to view.
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Primary election today
Because of redistricting as required by the 2010 Census, Johnson County experienced some changes effective Jan. 1, said Patty Bourgeois, Johnson County Elections administrator. Primary election day hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters must vote at their precinct location. For information visit the Johnson County Election Office’s website at www.JohnsonCountyElections.com or call 817-556-6197.
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Officials, residents remember those who gave it all
A robust breeze alleviated the heat somewhat Monday morning at Cleburne Memorial Cemetery, but also played pandemonium with the setting up of a memorial table for POW and MIA veterans. Wind tipped a vase holding a single rose shattering it on the pavement. A hastily retrieved replacement held out but at one point toppled causing water to spill inches shy of the public announcement speaker.
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A mother’s love, one day at a time
To everyone else, it was a regular Thursday. It was almost the weekend, almost summer break, time for vacation or time with family.
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Candidates vie for Pct. 2, 3 seats
County voters will weigh in on three Johnson County Commissioners Court seats up for election on Tuesday. In addition to the five-candidate Precinct 1 race, voters living in precincts 2 and 3 will also vote for the commissioner of their choice.
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Primary could decide constables
Ten candidates, all Republican, compete in their four respective precincts in the May 29 primary. With no Democratic opponents to face in November’s general election, the primary should decide the winner of all but one possible race.
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Voters urged to check for possible precinct changes
Because of redistricting as required by the 2010 Census, Johnson County experienced some changes effective Jan. 1, said Patty Bourgeois, Johnson County Elections administrator.
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Early voting numbers well short of ’08
Early voting turnout in Johnson County’s Democratic and Republican primaries totaled 3,914 as of Friday morning. That total includes 309 votes in the Democratic Primary and 3,605 in the Republican Primary.
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Yellow Jackets headed to finals
GRAHAM — The Wichita Falls Rider pitching staff swam with sharks for most of five innings Friday, avoiding all but a few love taps and playful nips from Cleburne batters.
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Changes at Splash Station
Splash Station officially opens for the summer season this weekend, and those who frequented the park in years past may notice some modifications.
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