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Per resident, West Easton ranks 2nd to Wilson Borough on how much money is donated to keep the Mary Meuser Memorial Library running. Wilson donated $8.54 per resident. West Easton’s contribution of $8700 last year amounted to $6.92 per resident.

The communities of Williams Township and Glendon contributed less than $3.00 per resident. Williams Township residents accounted for 18% of the library usage. West Easton’s usage was 9%. In fairness to Glendon, their usage by residents was only 1%.

While there is a disparity in the fair share of costs for keeping the library running, I am not as uncaring toward the local library’s needs as one might assume from my questions and my urging of Mr. Redington to solicit Williams Township in providing an increased donation amount. Library Director Dan Redington made a presentation at the last council meeting seeking a donation of $9000 from West Easton.

I met with Mr. Redington before the Christmas Holiday to discuss the needs of the library. During that discussion I was shown a few problems that the library would like to address, but lacks the funds to do so because their budget is only enough to cover administrative costs and the purchasing of some new books and other supplies.

In the past week I learned that a grant will become available for libraries from the state of Pennsylvania.

For those that know me, I love grants. Any amount from the state or federal governments means less comes out of our own coffers.

The Keystone Library Grant (KLG) is offered for the purposes of planning, acquisition, construction, or rehabilitation of public libraries. I spoke with a representative from the state and was informed another round of grants will open in February of this year and applications will be accepted until late May.

The KLG is a dollar-for-dollar type of grant, meaning for every dollar the library commits to a project, the KLG will match that amount.

The trouble is Mary Meuser Library has no extra money to commit and it is why I have started a GoFundMe campaign in the hope of raising money.

The goal is $35,000.

If that amount can be raised and a grant awarded, it will provide Mary Meuser Memorial Library $70,000 to replace a large section of retaining wall and steps in an area that will be used for children’s activities and outdoor reading. The area is currently unused as the precarious nature of the wall and steps makes it unsafe to occupy.

It will pay for new flooring needed and a roof repair on their meeting room. It may also pay for other items, should there be money remaining.

I have volunteered my services in preparing and submitting the grant, but what is needed first is money. Even if the goal of $35,000 isn’t reached, any amount will be used to prioritize the most important project, if all can not be achieved.

I’m asking residents to donate to the GoFundMe account. The money donated is sent directly to the library by GoFundMe.com. If you can donate anything ($1, $2, $5?) it would be appreciated and of course, doubled by the grant, so it does add up.

If enough people in the four communities consisting of more than 15,000 residents the library serves makes a donation, the library can make improvements it needs, rather than just “surviving.”

Please make a donation by clicking HERE.

 UPDATED 1/11/19 to correct donation per resident amounts.