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The library that all the citizens of Calhoun County enjoy today as a
county-provided public service was started back in 1940 by the Port
Lavaca Women's Study Club. Beginning with just a few volumes,
the library has grown to an impressive collection of thousands of
books, magazines, audio and video tapes. It was also destined
to wander from place to place for over twenty years before finding its
current home in 1991.
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The first home for the library was a bayfront building known as
Community Hall. The Women's Study Club project was just
getting underway when the building became the USO center during World
War II. The library then moved to a room above the First
State Bank building at the corner of Main and Colorado Streets for the
next year of existence. The third home for the library was
the old City Hall building on Colorado Street.
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Whenever the City
Hall moved to a different location, so did the library.
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The library was located in the County Courthouse in 1957 when the
County Comissioners voted to tear down the existing building in order
to build a new courthouse. Thus, the library had to move
again, this time back to the old Community Hall which was then known as
"The Cove."
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About this time the Women's Study Club proposed an organization devoted
to establishing and maintaining the library. For several
years after 1957, the newly-formed Calhoun County Library Association
maintained the facility..
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During this same time, the idea of having a county-owned library was
taking shape. Many public libraries were being formed
throughout Texas and Calhoun County did not want to be left
out. The Commissioners Court was looking into converting the
County Jail into a suitable location for the library while the new
courthouse was under construction
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Meanwhile, the library had moved again, this time to a room in Calhoun
High School. In early 1958 the library was close to finding a
permanent home when it moved into a county-owned residence on South
Benavides Street while the old County Jail was being
refurbished. Late in 1958, the library moved into the old
County Jail. Three years later, in 1961, the Commissioners
Court approved a plan to add 2,373 square feet to the old county jail
building -- and the library finally had a place of its own!
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As
time went by, and the library grew, the decision was made to expand
even larger. On March 26, 1972 another addition of 2,352
square feet was completed and dedicated. This was done at a
total cost of $49,000.
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The county passed an ordinance in 1963 establishing a twelve-member
advisory board. The library board operates with tax funds
approved by the County Commissioners Court.
Beginning in the mid 80's library officials became
acutely aware of the cramped conditions of the library. The
library board then began a study of possible expansion alternatives in
1987. In July 1988, a proposed expansion plan was adopted by
the board and recommended to the County Commissioners.
Through efforts of the 'Friends Of The Library' organization, Calhoun
County obtained a grant from the State of Texas for new library
construction in 1988. This $200,000 grant was matched by
Calhoun County. In December 1989, the Commissioners Court
approved plans and a construction contract was entered into with Rexco
Inc. of Port Lavaca to begin the new facilty. Reitzer-Cruz of
San Antonio, under the direction of Joel Reitzer, served as architects
on the project.
The 13,500 square foot building project was
overseen by a building committee consisting of: Oscar Hahn,
Dan Rollins, Charlie Zirkelback, Margaret Escalante, Jodi Weaver, and
Stanley Mikula. The entire facilty cost $867,000 and costs
were divided into thirds between grants and industry, Calhoun County,
and private donations.
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