Went to the monthly meeting of the Friends for the Troutman Library. Of course, we’re all excited at the prospect of opening that wonderful new library building and seeing it full of books and people, and we were assured it will open sooner rather than later. The big holdup right now is the Iredell County government trying to figure out how to pay all of the county’s bills and commitments. Tax revenue is down, and all government bodies are squeezing things to stay solvent. Iredell County agreed that after the citizens and the town of Troutman built the building, the county would stock, staff, and run the library. Now it’s crunch time. It looks like the library will be ready to open by mid-May or sooner. Some equipment is yet to be ordered, including some shelving. 
Shelves have to be installed and books received, set up in the system and shelved. Bernie Thompkins, who will be running the library for the county says that it will start out with around 7,500 books and CDs and have multiple computers for patrons to use.
We continue to sell imprinted bricks (in honor or memory of whatever you choose) for $75 or $125, depending on where they are placed, to raise money for the library. Plans will soon be in place for establishment of a Friends of the Troutman Library group which is a bit different that current organization which was not intended to be in place for the long term. The new group will be a support group to help raise funds for and run auxiliary programs for the library. The library staff will also be taking applications for volunteers to perform a variety of tasks for the operation of the library.
Plans are also being made for our semi-annual Library Fund-Raiser Used Book Sale. More to come on that.
Let me know if you have any questions about any of the above. I can help you get in contact with library staff or if send you a form for ordering bricks.
I think you can count on being able to spend some hot summer days in the cool of the J. Hoyt Hayes Memorial Troutman Library.
