Sen. Wilcoxson, Rep. Winchester & Friends of Mustang Library win awards
Carol Brimm
Senator Kathleen Wilcoxson and Representative Susan Winchester recently received the Citizens Recognition Award from the Oklahoma Library Association at a luncheon held at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Tulsa. The award is given to individuals who have given effective and important service to the advancement of libraries on a statewide level.
Wilcoxson and Winchester were instrumental in changing the formula used by the state to fund Oklahoma’s municipal libraries and increasing state aide by $400,000.
“Senator Wilcoxson and Representative Winchester co-authored a bill that brought the state aide dilemma to light,” said Desiree Webber, Mustang Library Director. “Although the bill didn’t pass, it was the turning point in the State Aid funding discussion.”
According to Webber, when the bill was introduced, legislators and citizens realized that the Oklahoma Department of Libraries needed additional funding so that funds could be distributed equitably to both municipal and system libraries.
“There was a real inequity between municipal libraries like Mustang and system libraries like Oklahoma County and Cleveland County. We worked to get more even funding based on population,” said Senator Kathleen Wilcoxson.
“Mustang has a great library,” said Representative Susan Winchester, “and we want to see that continue.”
Libraries across the state benefited from the change in the state aide formula and additional funding. Mustang greatly increased funding for technologies and increased the budget for the summer reading program by 30 percent. Other libraries also increased their summer reading programs and purchased encyclopedias, a library book drop, computers, chairs, updated circulation necessities, children’s books, large print books, increased staff, and updated necessary technology as well.
“I was very happy to see that the board of the Library Association was able to come to an agreement to the satisfaction of everybody and we didn’t have to pass legislation to get it done,” said Wilcoxson.
Winchester said she and Senator Wilcoxson got the award, but the Oklahoma Library Association did all the work.
“We just facilitated solving the problem,” said Winchester, “the library did all the work and solved the problem themselves without the need for legislation and that’s what we want to see from a legislative perspective.”
Mustang Friends of the Library was also honored at the luncheon. For the third time in four years Friends of the library in Oklahoma selected the Mustang chapter as Best Friends in Oklahoma. The chapter received a $500 award based on a scrapbook prepared by chapter president Carolyn Klepper.
“Friends of the Library in Mustang works really hard so the library can go ahead with all their programs,” said Klepper. “We are hosting a golf tournament on June 10th at Surrey Hills to raise money for the summer reading program. They need $2,500 for that program and any extra funds raised will be used for other library needs.”
Mustang Friends of the Library meet at 5:30 p.m. the first Monday of each month at the library. Klepper says the meetings are open to the public and everyone is invited to attend. For more information about Mustang Friends of the Library or the golf tournament, call 376-2018.
Carol Brimm
Senator Kathleen Wilcoxson and Representative Susan Winchester recently received the Citizens Recognition Award from the Oklahoma Library Association at a luncheon held at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Tulsa. The award is given to individuals who have given effective and important service to the advancement of libraries on a statewide level.
Wilcoxson and Winchester were instrumental in changing the formula used by the state to fund Oklahoma’s municipal libraries and increasing state aide by $400,000.
“Senator Wilcoxson and Representative Winchester co-authored a bill that brought the state aide dilemma to light,” said Desiree Webber, Mustang Library Director. “Although the bill didn’t pass, it was the turning point in the State Aid funding discussion.”
According to Webber, when the bill was introduced, legislators and citizens realized that the Oklahoma Department of Libraries needed additional funding so that funds could be distributed equitably to both municipal and system libraries.
“There was a real inequity between municipal libraries like Mustang and system libraries like Oklahoma County and Cleveland County. We worked to get more even funding based on population,” said Senator Kathleen Wilcoxson.
“Mustang has a great library,” said Representative Susan Winchester, “and we want to see that continue.”
Libraries across the state benefited from the change in the state aide formula and additional funding. Mustang greatly increased funding for technologies and increased the budget for the summer reading program by 30 percent. Other libraries also increased their summer reading programs and purchased encyclopedias, a library book drop, computers, chairs, updated circulation necessities, children’s books, large print books, increased staff, and updated necessary technology as well.
“I was very happy to see that the board of the Library Association was able to come to an agreement to the satisfaction of everybody and we didn’t have to pass legislation to get it done,” said Wilcoxson.
Winchester said she and Senator Wilcoxson got the award, but the Oklahoma Library Association did all the work.
“We just facilitated solving the problem,” said Winchester, “the library did all the work and solved the problem themselves without the need for legislation and that’s what we want to see from a legislative perspective.”
Mustang Friends of the Library was also honored at the luncheon. For the third time in four years Friends of the library in Oklahoma selected the Mustang chapter as Best Friends in Oklahoma. The chapter received a $500 award based on a scrapbook prepared by chapter president Carolyn Klepper.
“Friends of the Library in Mustang works really hard so the library can go ahead with all their programs,” said Klepper. “We are hosting a golf tournament on June 10th at Surrey Hills to raise money for the summer reading program. They need $2,500 for that program and any extra funds raised will be used for other library needs.”
Mustang Friends of the Library meet at 5:30 p.m. the first Monday of each month at the library. Klepper says the meetings are open to the public and everyone is invited to attend. For more information about Mustang Friends of the Library or the golf tournament, call 376-2018.
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