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Valley Mills Public Library

Who We Are

Valley Mills Library Association, Inc. / history of the Valley Mills Public Library

 
The Valley Mills Public Library began as a dream , with the Community Development Association taking on the project.   Bob Allen was president at that time (1990).  Organizational meeting for library was held August 14, 1989 . A Library Board was appointed --  President- Marjorie Yarbro, Vice-Pres. -- Bryant Schuetz,  Secretary -- Teresa Squires, Treasurer -- John Gilliam, and with Hilda Heath Hill  Hope,  Irene McLennan, and Jack Donaldson.    Steve Robertson of Clifton drew up the Articles of Incorporation in 1990.

The shell of a building was built by TSTI in Waco; many people of Valley Mills helped with the completion of the building for it to be a library.  The library opened its doors to the public in Janurary 1992. In July 1995 Kathleen Fisk Hale became President of the Board and Librarian; on August 22, 1996 she and John Gilliam signed the Resolution for the library to become a member of the Central Texas Library System (CTLS).

The library is supported by both the City of Valley Mills and the Library Association, along with grants.   In the past the library has received grants from TIF for  Internet and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation twice for two computers each, the Viburnam Foundation  ("Center for the Book")  for books, the Bernard & Audre Rapoport Foundation (April 2006 to April 2008, & for  '09,) Tocker Foundation for furniture in Sept. '10 for $6,859, a $10,000 grant, Dobie Award,  for books in April ' 11 and a $3000 literacy grant project funded by Dollar General for Summer 2011--and $675 for the Every child Ready to  Read project in  Summer '11-- and the Loan Star Libraries Grants.  The library has received  the local Coop Round-Up grant for $2500 these past two years.  $2000  grant from Dollar General in  May 2014 for Summer Reading Program 2014, and a Dollar General Grant in May 2015 for $1500.00 for the Summer Reading Program, including books. ....... Again in 2018  the library received a grant from Dollar General.

      In October 2020 the library received a grant from the Ladd & Katherine Hancher Foundation for an art project.  To continue that project in 2022 there were individual donations and a grant from the Ed Rachal Foundation in December 2021 for 2022.

    NEW OFFICERS IN JANUARY  2023 ARE AS FOLLOWS:

          President -- Clova Gibson

          Vice-Pres.   Alice Filler

          Secretary    Janie Baker

          Treasurer    Kitty Poston

Other  board members are :

          Daphne Lindberg Tenant

          Robin Prause

Committees

          Education and Community-- Cathey Trankovich, Chairman

          Landscape --  Daphne Tenant, Chairman

    

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                    In the past ..........

         

Board

   Pictured above are Friends of the library former Board members: (l to r) - Stephney Gaiducek, Janice Wingate, Mary Lou Wilburn, Jo Meyer, and Donna Boyd.(current president) 
                                         Officers as of  Summer 2021
President         Clova Gibson ( as of July 1, 2021)
Vice President  Cathey Trankovich
Secretary          Carolyn Yastic
Treasurer          Kitty Poston
                                                 Officers 2017 - 2020

President

Vice-President      

Gaye Lynn Seawright ( as of Jan 16, 2017-----past President - Donna Boyd - 

   Cathey Trankovich

   Immediate Past Pres. laurel Paulson

                          
Secretary

Carolyn Yastic 

Kathleen Hale as librarian ( Interim/ Acting Sec.  immediate past: Tom Pinkston/

Rena Sue Shampton, past sec. /        Clova Gibson past secretary

Treasurer

Kitty Poston ----

  Liz Caraway, immediate past treas.,   Janice Wingate, Alverta Slaughter and Jackie Dulus (2010-), past treasurers

  Past President -    Barbara o'Banion, (2009-2012); JoAnn Heath (2008); Diane Marken (2007)
 

The rotating Board members are as follows:

  2010 - 2013          2011 -- 2014                  

Janice Wingate   Cathy Trankovich  

Donna Boyd         Laurel Paulson      

Clova Gibson        Gary Adrian/         

                                      Liz Caraway            

    2012 -- 2015               2014 - 2017                         2015--2018          2016 --2019 

  John Shampton          Sharon Humphries                  Carolyn Yastic     G. L. Seawright

  Rena Sue Shampton  Tom Pinkston                           Kitty Poston         2017-2020

  Donna Veteto               Cathey Trankovich                 Janey Kaiser        Jennifer Boles

Pictured below are: Wanda Harris, (Friends group)  Barbara O'Banion  (Past President),  Diane Marken (Past President),  and Jo Meyer (Friends Chairman) at a Dinner and Dance 

Board 2

Friends of the Library

(2009--2013):   Jo Meyer, Chairman -- Diane Marken, Co.- Chairman, with Mary Lou Sommerfield and Elaine Peveler  on the committee.
(1992--2009):  Barbara O'Banion, past Chairman with Jo Meyer, Co-Chairman.
History: Begun by Charlie McBride and Hilda Heath Hill Hope to assist, as members of  the Library Association, with fundraising.

Library Staff


Kathleen Hale  -- Director / Librarian
   Debbie Veteto -  ( Experience Works program)/ SECEP --  to June 6, 2021

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                                 In the past----
 Tom Pinkston - 2014-15
 Jan Powell, Linda Garten ( in training program with Experience Works
 Carolyn Houston  - Circulation desk volunteer Jan  2013 - Dec  2013

Louise McGrath -- Circulation Desk ( 1994---Sept. 30, 2009)

Bonnie Turner - Circulation Desk  - (May 2009- July 1, 2012)

VISTA committee '08


Brenda Edwards --  Development Coordinator, AmeriCorp VISTA member
Connie Longoria
Cleo Jones
Edwin Motley
Rosario [Maria] Hernandez