Presque Isle Library District branches out to Millersburg;

by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor

The Presque Isle District Library (PIDL) will be expanding in April with the establishment of a new branch in the Case Township Community building, the site of Millersburg Elementary School for more than 100 years, before it closed last year.

Local leaders and residents have been active in trying to keep the building a hub of community activities.

In December, a Christmas concert was conducted, an Alpena Community College class started last month, it will be an American Red Cross disaster shelter, and now plans are being put in place to open the new library in early April, maybe as soon as April 6. The library board vote was 5-1.

The board voted to establish the new branch on a six-month trial basis. Members would like to see how patrons utilize the facility in the spring, while school is still in session, and what the summer traffic is going to be like.

Board member Ken McNealy said, ?the potential is there. They have a very good support group in their community, and once this gets in there, I don?t think they?re going to let it die.?

CASE TOWNSHIP supervisor Dean Storms said the addition of the library is another ?spoke in our wheel. We are very, very pleased. We were anticipating and hoping something like this would happen.? Township officials, who took over the operation of the facility from the school district, will charge $300 per month for a room that was once the school?s library. The cost includes unlimited use of the room and the cost of utilities.

Library administrators are looking at being open two days a week, tentatively on Tuesdays and Thursdays for four to five hours each day, with two new computers for Internet use. PIDL books are available to bring in, but many people are willing to donate them, said Storms.

?Frankly, we can?t afford to do more than that,? said assistant library director Carolyn Chrzan, on being open more than two days a week. Board member John Mero cited budget concerns as a reason he voted against the motion. ?I?m really concerned about what is coming down the pike.?

Start up costs and wages will have to be absorbed into an already strained budget. A lot of the financial friction has come from less revenue coming from Lansing.

?DURING THAT six month period, we can get an idea what the real numbers are,? said McNealy. Board member Catherine Swan said, ?I think we need to show faith to Millersburg. They are asking for a service, they are willing to work with us on it.?

Prior to the vote, chairman

Beach Hall said, ?Years ago, when a couple of people approached this board about moving into the lower level of the Onaway Courthouse, we took a monstrous big leap of faith, and I think it has worked very, very, very well. Maybe it?s time to take another monstrous leap of faith.?

Storms also said a handful of residents gathered on a frigid night last week for the first Friends of the Library meeting. ?It?s just one more thing along with the class from Alpena Community College,? said Storms. ?We?ve now joined with the American Red Cross in making it a disaster shelter. The library fits in very nicely.?

There also was discussion at this week?s township meeting to begin the steps of moving the township offices into one of the former classrooms. ?There was a great of concern when the school closed that maybe the building would rot in ruin,? said Storms. ?People did not want to see it deteriorate.?

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