Sunday, May 19, 2024
AZLE — “Ready, Set, Library!”
During the April 2 Azle City Council meeting, city officials recognized Azle Memorial Library staff for National Library Week April 7-13. The 2024 theme for this week is Ready, Set, Library. The week was first celebrated nationwide in 1958, sponsored by the American Library Association.
Staff representing the local library stood at the city council meeting to hear praises from Mayor Alan Brundrett and receive a written proclamation from the City of Azle. Reading from the proclamation, Mayor Brundrett stopped to iterate his own view on the library’s importance.
“I have to kind of echo on that one there, the cornerstones of democracy, because it’s really true,” Brundrett said. “There’s some laws that have been presented in the past, I think it was part of the Patriot Act, where the government wanted the library to turn over records of who checked out certain books and things like that and send it to the government. All our librarians stepped up and said, ‘nope not going to happen, we’re not doing it.’ So, they do a lot more for us than what people think.”
The mayor encouraged Azle residents to visit the library during this week and express appreciation for its staff. Brundrett also spoke about the library’s ability to change with the times.
“Our library has done a great job with evolving,” Brundrett said. “They do so much more now with multi-media and teaching people how to use computers. That’s what’s super impressive to me. You’re staying relevant in today’s age, and you always will be relevant with the services that you offer.”
Along with being a source for quality book, video and audio resources, Azle Memorial Library offers weekly clubs, story times for children and endless activities, crafts and classes for its patrons to enjoy. The library recently celebrated its 15th anniversary in its current building.
“We appreciate the recognition the City of Azle and mayor provide each year for National Library Week,” AML Director Curren McLane said. “Our staff works hard every day to provide the best possible service for area citizens and we are so grateful to work in a supportive and wonderful community. There are six other staff members who could not join us at the city council meeting.”
