Commentary; Posted: 12/7/05
After years of trying, Wyoming gets its library
By Cliff Buchan
How important is perseverance in getting something accomplished? Ask the folks in Wyoming who for years worked for a new library in their community and youíll find it is very important.
After more than a decade of dreaming, planning and constructing, Wyoming now has its library. Last Saturday saw the formal dedication of the Wyoming Public Library, dedicated in the memory of the late Myles Giese, the longtime local banker and a community activist who worked for the library.
In all, some 13 years of effort went into reaching Saturdayís big day. Hurdles numerous enough to fill several chapters were cleared by the many area citizens who refused to say no to the idea of giving up even in the face of political battles.
But with cooperation and teamwork, and a good dose of perseverance, the Giese Memorial Library is now a reality. The 10,000 square foot facility is located one door south of the Wyoming Municipal Building on land provided by the city.
The city partnership is just one of many collaborations that were needed to see this community asset built.
The partnerships started at the grassroots level in the Wyoming area in the early 1990s when the idea of a brick and mortar library was created to serve the area in place of a bookmobile that would drive into town on a regular schedule.
As the southern most community in Chisago County which is a member of the East Central Regional Library system, Wyoming has long suffered from a lack of library services. It is no secret that the Wyoming area has experienced tremendous growth and the many young families that have moved here have longed for just a facility.
And in terms of the bang for the buck, Wyoming area residents were seeing little return on their county tax dollars that went to support county library services.
The Washington County Library branch facility in Forest Lake has been a valuable resource to help fill that void for Wyoming area residents over the years.
But now the Wyoming and Stacy areas have their own facility and a nice one at that.
The credit for this facility has to be shared on many fronts. At the city level, the longtime commitment of several city councils and mayors Neal Gatzow, Vern Haag and now Sheldon Anderson has been key in cornering the local support.
The donations of time and energy from local library society volunteers has provided the spark that helped make the goal realistic. And the financial donations from many in the area, including businesses like Gieseís First State Bank of Wyoming, were also vital to the effort.
While the library is up and running, fund-raising efforts continue through the local library society. Funds are still needed for library materials (books, CDs, DVDs), landscaping and computer/electronics.
Donations in any amount can be made in person or by mail to: the Wyoming Area Giese Memorial Library, care of First State Bank of Wyoming, 26471 Felton Ave. (P.O. Box 308), Wyoming, MN 55092. The Wyoming Area Library Society is a registered non-profit organization. All donations are tax-deductible.
The project wouldnít have been possible without the backing of the ECRL board. Through ECRL, the Wyoming facility will be staffed and in a first-class and professional fashion with resources that are second to none.
A special mention is needed, however, for the Chisago County Board of Commissioners. In the face of political opposition, the county board, led in part by the determined efforts by Wyoming area County Commissioner Ben Montzka, had the courage to proceed with plans to build three buildings for county libraries to join the ECRL system. Thanks to that commitment, the county has issued bonds to pay for construction.
The county project has now resulted in new facilities in North Branch and Wyoming. The third library serving the Chisago Lakes area will open within a month or so.
There may have been times during the past 13 years when library planners easily could have given up and gone off to other pursuits. But they didnít and that perseverance has resulted in an important community asset that will long serve this area with distinction.
Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605