Everyone knows that when they come into the library, they meet smiling faces and a large collection of books, movies, and computers to peruse and use. What they may not know is the wonderful District Board of Trustees who helps to run the daily operations of this friendly library. Our current President, Shirley Beck, is stepping down after 11 years of volunteer service on the District Board. Shirley is well-known for being active in many different community organizations, but the Blanco Library has been her pet project in recent years. She is freeing her time to focus specifically on fundraising for our new library building. Shirley was one of the moving forces behind creating our Library District to strengthen its funding. With the unparalleled support of the Blanco Woman’s Club and the creation of the Library District, the Blanco Library thrives and continues to grow. It no longer houses just books, movies, and magazines but is a community center where we host programs such as art and computer classes, show movies, and provide a comfortable space for people to meet, learn, and relax.

The rest of our volunteer district board and staff members will miss Shirley’s lively presence in our monthly meetings, but we know she will be working dedicatedly behind the scenes to help us continue to grow. Other board members include Millie Jones, Nancy Cline, Arnold Barban, Dave Lageman, and our newest joining member, Kathee Copeland. Millie Jones, a retired CPA and business owner, joined our board at the same time as Shirley Beck and continues to volunteer her time and her efforts to make sure we are investing tax-payer funds wisely. Nancy Cline has been a volunteer with the library for many years; she handles all of the donated items that stream through our door every day. Arnold Barban and Dave Lageman both started as volunteers at our front desk and were asked to join the board to expand our community voice. Kathee Copeland served as the general manager of the Woman’s Club in Fort Worth. She has been a member of the Blanco Woman’s Club for about 5 years, president of the club for the last two two years, and the vice president of Blanco Library Inc., another library fundraising entity, for one year. She will bring a wide range of experience to our district board and we warmly welcome her.

Check out our website at www.blancolib.org for more information.