Letter from the Director

Dear Garland County Neighbors,

On the November 3rd ballot, Garland County voters will be asked to consider a temporary millage increase to fund the GCL Forward initiative. The purpose of the millage is to provide funding for new library construction across Garland County: a new state-of-the-art main library campus, a north branch in the Hot Springs Village/Jessieville area and a west branch near Lake Hamilton School District, putting a library within a 12-minute drive for 95% of county residents. 

If voters approve the millage, we aim to break ground and begin construction of the new main and the west branch in 2027. Through this initiative, we hope to:

• Expand Accessibility to books, technology, educational programs, & gathering spaces.
• Support Families and Children with more convenient locations, expanded children's areas, dedicated spaces for teens, early literacy programs, and interactive learning.
• Enhance Technology and Innovation by featuring cutting-edge technology, makerspaces, entrepreneurship programs, recording studios, and digital resources that empower patrons to explore and grow.
• Create Cultural Hubs for Our Community by offering everything from book clubs and lectures to arts and craft programs to cooking classes in our proposed teaching kitchen.
• Provide Modern, Comfortable, Accessible Spaces through additional study rooms, community meeting spaces, and flexible workspaces to accommodate students, job seekers, entrepreneurs, civic groups, and lifelong learners.

Many of you might be asking "is now the right time for this?" I believe it is. We are living in a time where children's literacy rates are plummeting, civic participation is in decline, third spaces are disappearing, and we're becoming more polarized by the day. New libraries have been proven to address all of these problems and more.

Strong libraries foster strong communities. On a typical day at the library, I see children from all walks of life playing and learning together, teens connecting with each other away from screens, adults gaining new skills, working folks getting their taxes done for free, locals participating in civic life by voting and attending candidate debates, tutors working with children on literacy and math, social clubs meeting to talk about coins or stamps or to play mahjong or chess together, and parents and grandparents bringing children to cultural events with free admission. 

Whether you are for or against this issue, I encourage you to learn about the proposal, ask questions, and consider what these new facilities could mean for Garland County. We will be sharing information regularly on our website at www.gclibrary.com/forward and we will be scheduling information sessions regularly to discuss our projects and answer questions. If you have any questions in the meantime, you can always email us at [email protected] or call us at 501-623-4161.

Your friendly neighborhood librarian