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Mendell Morgan
From the live music series Music on Main to free legal advice and story lessons for children, the El Progreso Memorial Library has been busy providing a plethora of services to the community of Uvalde.
Built in 2004 and designed by architects Hidell Associates of Carollton, the $ 5.7 million library is approximately 36,000 square foot building with approximately 57,585 books, a used bookstore, the Virginia W. Davis Archives, the Weisman Museum of Southwest Texas, and conference rooms.
The El Progreso Memorial Library was originally founded in 1903 by a group of women with the aim of creating a new civic organization, the El Progreso Club.
Range
Russell Burns, an almost daily visitor to the El Progreso Memorial Library, shows off a landscape puzzle he recently completed in the library. Burns, a retiree, says he has been working on puzzles in the library for about 15 years.
In addition to offering reading material, the library is also a civic and cultural center. Over the past year, the library hosted about 149 community programs ranging from free income tax help to sewing classes, games and book signing, said library director Mendell Morgan.
In addition, the library is also a Salvation Army location for customers of Community Health Development Inc. and has a business center that offers photocopying, scanning, faxing, 3D printing and lamination. El Progreso also provides access to research databases through its affiliation with the Texas State Library.
“Last year the door gates to the interior of the library alone drew over 56,800 visitors,” said Morgan, adding that there are more than 20,000 registered library card holders.
The library also offers parishioners the opportunity to commemorate loved ones as well as celebrate anniversaries and milestones through its donor wall.
financing
Morgan said the library offerings, including free Wi-Fi and several public computers, will be made possible through fundraising, the library bookstore sale and the allocation of funds from the city of Uvalde and Uvalde County.
“We are grateful for the support of the city and the district. Together, they provide about two-thirds of our operating budget needs, ”said Morgan. “Every year we have to raise nearly $ 200,000 to cover all of our expenses.”
The library hosts several fundraising events with the support of several groups including library staff, the library board, the El Progreso Club, and friends of the library.
The library also seeks grants and individual donations.
Annual fundraising events include the Music on Main series, the Hidden Treasure Yard sale, the annual Parade of Houses, as well as magic shows, crime dinners and a ghost lantern tour.
The children’s section of the El Progreso Memorial Library, adorned with child-friendly figures. The library is located at W. Main St. 301 and is open Monday through Saturday.
The library also relies on donors for investment projects such as replacing the HVAC system.
In these cases, Morgan said the library will often send an appeal letter to the community asking for financial support for the project.
Last year, Morgan said the library was also able to use the paycheck protection program to help alleviate losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“That was a big help,” said Morgan. “Completely unexpected.”
In 2020, the library also received a $ 15,000 grant from Humanities Texas, the Austin-based state subsidiary of the National Endowment of the Arts.
The library recently received funding from the Medina Electric Cooperative to purchase a new 27-inch laminator.
“I believe the grant was about $ 1,250,” Morgan said, noting that the grant covered about 50 percent of the purchase price of $ 2,500.
future plans
The library building needs repairs, Morgan said, including an update to the exterior lighting, a new boiler, window tinting, and new controls for the HVAC and lighting systems currently housed in the basement.
There is also some brick and stone work peeling off on the outside of the building that needs to be repaired.
He said some of these costs would be covered by a $ 140,000 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture, along with loans and fundraising.
Morgan said some of his other goals for the library are to increase community visibility through advertising and an electronic digital marquee.
He also wants to expand the reach of the teen library and possibly add a teen room gaming TV.
With Leti Ruiz and Lucy Sandoval, who have worked as library staff for more than four decades, Morgan claims that he is also working on developing a succession plan for the staff.
Upcoming Events
On Saturday, September 18th at 7:30 pm there will be a screening of “Good Ol Girl” in the Hangar Six Air Cafe. The demonstration is free with a suggested donation of $ 20 per vehicle to be donated to the library.
The event will feature a live violin and piano concert and Brennan Kolb, the film writer, director and producer, will be on site for a question-and-answer session after the film. In the fall, the library is planning its popular “Pot of Gold” fundraising campaign as well as the annual Christmas house tour. There will also be a Christmas music-on-main event. The El Progreso Memorial Library is located at 301 W. Main St. For more information, call 830-278-2017.
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