On Tuesday, January 2, the library held an event to commemorate the occasion.
The ceremony and new name mark a turning point in the 90-year history of the library. For decades it was operated entirely by donations and volunteers. Taney County was one of only four counties in the State without a publicly funded library until this past fall.
In August, voters in the Branson and Hollister school districts approved a property tax initiative to provide funds for a newly established library district.
Anne McGregor, chair of the library’s Board of Trustees, said the transition is like turning an aircraft carrier, slow but progressing always.
McGregor said they received their first tax dollars in December. She said they’ve already been able to extend their hours. This summer they hope to phase out their thrift shop to make way for more meeting spaces. McGregor said much of the board’s work lately has been logistical, such as writing and approving policies, as they work to establish what she said is the first new public library district in Missouri in 50 years.