Levy passage good news for Enon library

pam Cottrel COMMENTARY

ENON — Al though Issue 8, the library levy, was unofficially approved on May 4, the county libraries were still closed on the following Friday.

While I wasn’t expecting things to change overnight, I wondered when it would happen.

I called Terri Bowman at the Enon Branch of the Clark County Library to find out how soon we can expect services to get back to normal at the library in Enon.

“It definitely won’t be right away,” said Bowman, who explained that the funds would probably not be available until next February. “We are hoping it’ll be sooner rather than later.”

The Clark County Library Board will be meeting next week to determine the next steps in the process.

At the end of last summer, the Indian Mound Library moved from its original small building at the Enon Adena Mound to its new facility, the former Rite Aid building at 209 East Main Street.

That move happened just as the cuts were made in the county library budget and the services were reduced.

The building was ready for expanded programs, but the operating funds were not available. The new community room at the library has yet to host an event.

“We were so disappointed that we couldn’t do any programming,” said Bowman.

Bowman said that she and her staff are also looking forward to putting more new books and DVDs on the shelves, and being open on Fridays.

In September when the building was dedicated, Bowman and her staff told me about how they were looking forward to story times in the new cheerful children’s area with the big windows. Soon those postponed plans will become reality.

It seems to me that the Enon community is also looking forward to their new library branch reaching its full potential.

According to unofficial results, a majority in both Enon precincts and six out of the seven Mad River Township precincts voted for the library levy. The levy was approved by 56 percent of Clark County voters.

“We are very grateful to the voters,” said Bowman. “We were so happy we got it through the first time and won’t have to wait.”