CURWENSVILLE – A merger is in the works to combine the Curwensville Area Library Corp. and the Clearfield County Public Library into one entity.
For years the separate Curwensville Area Library Corp. has owned the building on Beech Street in Curwensville, which houses the Curwensville Public Library and the CCPL.
The CALC was first discussed in the early 1980’s with plans to establish a special non-profit association to raise funds to buy a building on Thompson Street for the library.
Although that transaction never happened, a gift of the Beech Street property by Superior Brands, Inc. (former Superior Pet Products) to the CALC in August of 1988 allowed the group to raise money to build a new structure for both the Curwensville and County libraries.
At that time, both the CCPL and the Curwensville Library were housed in three connected store fronts on State Street.
The building was completed in 1994 with the CALC retaining ownership of it and the property.
Since that time, the two libraries have paid rent to the CALC, which was applied to the utility bills, maintenance and upkeep of the property.
In May members of the CALC board approached the board members of the CCPL, proposing the two corporations merge and the CALC be dissolved, effectively eliminating their position as a “middle man” for the facility.
A special meeting of the CCPL was held at the library on July 27 to officially approve the merger and the paperwork has now been submitted to the state for approval.
With this action, the CCPL takes over the responsibility of the property as well as the few assets remaining to the former CALC.
“Having one board handle both the building and the libraries just makes sense,” said CCPL Board President Julie Rickard.
She noted that it was getting harder and harder for the CALC to find board members and have a quorum to do even routine business.
The chairman of the CALC, Mary Jane Sherman, was also recently appointed by the Clearfield County Commissioners to serve on the CCPL board and help with the transition.
No changes are expected with either of the library’s services.
Clearfield County has a long history of providing library services to its residents, first with a bookmobile in the 1940’s. The county library board was formed in 1968 to oversee those services.
The Curwensville Public Library was started by the GFWC Curwensville Woman’s Club with “Operation Library” in the late 60’s.
This drive to have a library in Curwensville was complete when the library was opened as a branch of the CCPL in April of 1968.
Credit is given to Lenore Davidson, whose vision was instrumental to the library’s creation. For years it was run on a volunteer basis.
It was in 1974 that the county library offices were moved from the Shaw Public Library in Clearfield to Curwensville.
Today, the Clearfield County Public Library covers approximately 46,000 residents who are not served by the Shaw Public Library, the Curwensville Branch Library or the DuBois Public Library with their Mobile Service Unit van.
This includes stops at area nursing homes.
In addition to spreading reading material around the county, the MSU has a “seed library” complete with instructions on how to grow the plants. Patrons are asked to provide seeds from their plants to the MSU for use next year.
They also have a printer that can be utilized at any of the stops if you have documents and require a hard copy.
A monthly list of the MSU’s stops is available on the CCPL’s Facebook page and Web site, clearfieldcountylibrary.org as well as being published in local media including the Ad Bargain. You can also sign up for their monthly e-mail newsletter.
The Curwensville Public Library offers summer reading programs, the popular “Crafternoons with Miss Samantha” for both children and adults, Story Time, Toddler Time, used book sales and other special programs for the community.
You can keep up with their activities by checking out the Facebook page.
