[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s Buda prepares for the opening of its new municipal facility later this year, Buda Library Director Melinda Hodges is readying for a big move.
More than 26,000 books, DVDs, CDs and other materials that currently comprise the Buda Library’s current collection will soon make the transition to a spacious 25,000 square-foot facility.
What’s also making the move are the names of those who played a role in the history of the Buda Library.
Hodges said the names of Marjorie E. Martinez and Lucy and Lawrence Teall will also move to the new facility, which will be four times larger than the current 5,200 square-foot library located in downtown.
On Dec. 19, the Buda City Council approved the transfer of the names of the memorial spaces from the current library to the new one once it opens.
Martinez acted as the library director for 20 years before retiring in 2010.
Hodges said Martinez started when the original Buda library building was a scant 1,800 square feet. Martinez helped transition the library to its current facility.
Hodges said Martinez was also credited with bringing the Internet to the Buda Library. At the time that was a big development for the library industry.
“The introduction of the Internet is one of the big things for libraries because it digitized all of our records, when before it was all little cards,” Hodges said.
Hodges said after Martinez passed away shortly after retiring in 2010, the city council at that time wanted to memorialize her in some way. The council decided to name a space in the library after her.
Hodges said the council at the time also requested that the name be transferred to the future Buda library to ensure that Martinez would continue to be honored even before there were any plans to build a bigger library.
“She was a very important person to this library and we are happy to continue to honor her over in the new library,” Hodges said.
Council also approved the transfer of the Lucy and Lawrence Teall staff rooms, which were named for Father Richard Teall’s parents.
Teall was instrumental in inspiring the Santa Cruz Catholic Church congregation to set a fundraising goal of $75,000 to the library’s current 5,200 square-foot structure.
Since the library was not controlled by the city at the time, officials had to raise $100,000 to pay for a matching grant.
After the Santa Cruz congregation accomplished its goal of $75,000, Hodges said Teall personally gave a large sum of money to help the library meet the requirements for the grant funding to come through and build the current library.
Other aspects of the Buda Library’s move will be the purchase of 20,000 more units for the library, costing $315,000. The library also expects to add at least 10 more public computers, as well as multiple power outlets where residents can plug in their own devices.
The exact date for the move is unknown at this time.
