Huntsville Item;   February 24, 2005

By Kurt Allen/Assistant Managing Editor

Bruce Esterline admits the $88,000 grant awarded to the New Waverly Library is probably quite a bit more than his group would normally give a project like this. The vice president of grants for the Meadows Foundation - a private group that helps fund civil, health, cultural and educational efforts - Esterline said typically only $40,000 would be given to a small-town or rural library.

But there's something a bit different about the new library being built on Highway 75 in New Waverly.

"This was a little unusual, frankly, because we were being asked to put up more money than we normally would for a project like this, and more money in comparison to single donors," Esterline said. "The reason the foundation was willing to make the extra allowances is the board recognized this (project) has been going on for a long time and a lot of people have been involved.

"We realized we could step in and do a little more than in normal circumstances," he said.

Of the 200-plus grants given by the foundation every year, around 10 of them are for similar kinds of small-town library projects.

For Ron Kolb, the past-president of the New Waverly Library Association and the lead person behind the construction, the Meadows Foundation grant puts the project within reach of completion. In fact, for the price of two tricked-out SUVs and some volunteer help, the library could open its doors this year.

"It's a tremendous boost for us, no mistake about it," Kolb said of the grant. "If we have enough people that can offer their services, I believe we'll open this year.

"The completion of the building is pretty much assured," he added.

Kolb said with the $88,000 Meadows grant, the library is about $60,000 to $70,000, and some volunteer assistance, away from being completed. Kolb is confident more of the promised help will come through and the facility can open in 2005.

Beth Miles, a key figure in helping get the grant, said she got involved because the library is a project she believes in.

"Libraries are so important, and when I saw what was such a tremendous undertaking for such a small community, I was so intrigued," Miles said. "I was intrigued by how much volunteer work had gone into the building. It looked like it was such a worthwhile thing."

While Kolb credits Miles with getting the grant for the library, it's Miles who praises Kolb for moving the facility to its current point.

"Without Ron's help, it would never have happened," she said. "He had to give me so much information to get the proposal together."

One of the selling factors for New Waverly was the cost of the project, which so far is half of the actual value of the building. When it's completed, the library will have a value of about $691,000, but the price tag will only be around $350,000.

"Anytime people can leverage the money and be frugal, those are all obvious pluses," Esterline said. "That's part of the review process."

But equally important is how the library will serve the community of New Waverly. Because of the town's small size, the library will offer one of the few meeting spaces, giving many groups a chance to get together. In addition, the many services the library will offer, including access to computers and research materials, makes it a potential focal point in the community.

"It's a nice way to help smaller communities that not only has conventional library services, but often serves as a meeting place and a central institution in the community," Esterline said. "That's been an underlying, unstated expression of value. These are important (factors)."

The grant is one of three that has had, or will have, a significant impact on the project. A $25,000 Rockwell grant was one of the first cash infusions for the library, and helped pay for materials and labor to build the rafters and columns. Another $50,000 from the Tocker group is being held for use in buying furniture and book shelving material.

The actual yearly funding of the library, which depends in part on support from New Waverly ISD and the city of New Waverly, will likely be supplemented through other grants, donations, volunteer work and fund-raisers.

"We really hope we're going to get more support," Kolb said. "The mayor has indicated he's going to bring this to the City Council, and hopefully they'll understand the value of the library. Between them and whatever support the school district can give, hopefully it'll be enough."