The Gladys Johnson Ritchie Library is undergoing a transformation which is close to being complete. Library Director Lanora Joslin says she runs into people every day who come in the facility and ask if they are closing.
During last Monday’s meeting, Gladys Ritchie Memorial Library’s Lanora Joslin asked Jacksboro city officials for more funding during this upcoming fiscal year.
Joslin opened by giving the history of the library, speaking about a promise made many years ago that if the library stayed close to the school, it would always remain open. In Joslin’s mind, those days seem to be gone. Last year, the county donated $20,000, the city of Jacksboro $5,000 and the Jacksboro ISD another $4,500.
“I’ve begged all over town,” Joslin said. “The state has suggested we close, but I’m not giving up.”
Joslin spoke that while COVID-19 dealt the library some blows in personnel, it opened some other doors with people not knowing the library was open. Joslin and her volunteer husband, Kenny, helped people with getting on computers to fill out forms for such things as unemployment and IRS tax forms.