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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Georgetown Public Library will be celebrating |
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its first half-century in March 2016, and the beginning of its 50th |
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anniversary year provides a welcome occasion to take note of this |
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distinguished institution's history; and |
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WHEREAS, Before the public library was established, |
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residents of Georgetown used the libraries of the local school |
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district or Southwestern University if they wished to borrow a |
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book, though many of the popular titles requested by readers were |
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unavailable there; and |
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WHEREAS, In response to demand, the Georgetown Public Library |
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was opened on March 21, 1966, in two small, poorly lit rooms off |
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Main Street, with $21 in its account, a volunteer staff, and a |
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collection of 1,200 books; in June of that year, fewer than 1,000 |
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books were checked out, but by 1970, the library had grown enough to |
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require its own building, and in 1987, it moved again, to Martin |
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Luther King Jr. Street; and |
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WHEREAS, Since 2007, the Georgetown Public Library has been |
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housed in a 54,000-square-foot building that features a |
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kid-friendly first floor and a quieter section on the second floor; |
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this thriving institution operates with an annual budget of $2 |
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million and boasts a collection of nearly 111,000 books and 6,700 |
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DVDs, and today it loans out as many items in a single day as it used |
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to in a month; and |
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WHEREAS, The library also enjoys the support of the Friends |
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of the Georgetown Library; this dedicated and hardworking group of |
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volunteers numbers more than 740 members, making it one of the |
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largest such associations in the state; and |
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WHEREAS, For nearly half a century, the Georgetown Public |
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Library has been a source of enlightenment, inspiration, and |
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delight to countless area residents, and it is a pleasure to |
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recognize this vital community resource; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 50th anniversary year of the |
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Georgetown Public Library and extend to its staff, volunteers, and |
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patrons sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the library as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |