Countywide library plan:
Posted on Wednesday, October 1, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/gentry/Sports/2919/
BENTON COUNTY ó A long effort to get a countywide library system for Benton County began in the mid-1990 s.
As the effort began, some 72 counties in Arkansas ó all but Benton, St. Francis and Miller counties ó already had county library boards and county library systems for them to run.
A group of local citizens banded together and formed Friends of Benton County Libraries to work to convince citizens that Benton County would benefit by having a county library board. Collective purchasing, networking books, funds from the Arkansas State Library and being eligible for grants were among advantages cited.
Contacted recently, one member of the Friends group, Myra Moran of Rogers, mentioned James Furgason of Gentry as one of the most tireless of advocates for a countywide library system. The group also included Lila Wylie of Bella Vista; Mary Ann Parr, who later left Bella Vista; and others.
In those days, group members made the case that a countywide library system would benefit all the countyís libraries, perhaps most of all, libraries in smaller cities that might not have the funds to be open as many hours per week as one might wish or to do other worthwhile things, Moran said.
Friends members tried to make the case for a countywide library system and submitted a 1998 proposal for a millage to fund such a system.
County voters rejected the proposal, Wylie recalled.
Following the 1998 defeat of the millage, whatever happened to the effort to get a countywide library system started in Benton County ?
Ten years later, it appears that former Friends members are content to have tried and donít think itís likely another effort to get a millage approved or to otherwise start a countywide library system would succeed.
There are nine libraries in the county ó big ones and small ones ó and since the defeat of the millage, some libraries ó including ones in Bentonville, Gentry and Rogers ó have been moved to particularly impressive new buildings. And compared with 10 years ago, there is more emphasis on libraries in many of the countyís cities, Moran agreed. Sheís especially proud of the library in Gentry, she said.
However, even if that new situation helps fill the countyís need for libraries, itís still the case that the county would benefit greatly if a countywide library system could be created, Moran and Wylie said recently.