CITY BEAT: THE PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SPECIAL PLACE FOR ME

     The public library has always been a special place for me. Since I was old enough to hold a book (and maybe before that) I’ve always loved to read.
     Some of the first Christmas gifts I received as a boy (at least the ones I remember) were children’s books.
     Other kids were getting toys that they soon broke. I loved getting books that were so durable that I still have some of them to this day.
     Needless to point out, the Carnegie Library that was located on the southwest corner of Main and Eldorado in Decatur was a reader’s paradise to me.
     When I was a student at Roosevelt Junior High School, I would ride my bicycle to the Carnegie Library and spend a lot of hours looking through books that especially interested me.
     There was just something special about that library. It was a structure that almost made me feel that just being inside made me wiser.

     • I WAS editor of this newspaper when news came that the Carnegie Library was going to be demolished for several reasons — leaky pipes, etc. and termites.
     State Rep. A. Webber Borchers told me and the daily newspaper that it had to be the first time in history that termites were eating through concrete!
Borchers fought to keep the library from being demolished.
     The Decatur Public Library had already moved from the Carnegie Library to the former Sears Roebuck store on the northeast corner of North and Franklin streets in January, 1971.
     A local business wanted the Carnegie Library property to build a new facility and use most of that area for a parking lot.
     I fought the demolition of the Carnegie Library through editorials in this newspaper, indicating that it was a valuable treasure in our city and we would have to be blind not to see its value.
After all, what city leaders in their right minds would destroy a Carnegie Library?
     A board member of the company that was buying the property contacted me and told me, as a result of my speaking out against the demolition of the library building, their firm would never advertise with this newspaper again — and they never did.
     However, I never regretted trying to save the Carnegie Library from the wrecking ball.

     I WALKED DOWN to the Carnegie Library after the demolition started and I couldn’t help but think of all the years I had been inside that special place in downtown Decatur.
     I was also in the library countless times when it was located on East North and also been in the library in its present location at Main and Franklin (moving into another vacated Sears Department Store) countless times.
     I will have to admit that, despite the many improvements in the library today, my literary heart is still with the Carnegie Library of my youth.
     There was just something about that place. I’m sure those of you reading this column today, who also visited the Carnegie Library in your youth, can identify with the attachment I have to that special place.
     The Carnegie Library was a beautiful structure and, to this day, I believe it was demolished way before its usefulness was exhausted.

     • MARK W. Sorensen has compiled a history of the Decatur Public Library and its observance of 150 years of serving the community, for our “Scrapbook’ feature on pages 4 and 5 of this edition. I’ve known Mark for decades and he has often contributed to this newspaper’s look at Deca-tur’s past. Mark knows a lot about the history of the Decatur Public Library — at all of its locations in our city. His “Scrapbook” article in today’s edition is a very informative piece.
By the way, due to the winter storm last Saturday, Mark’s presentation at the library on the 150 years of the Decatur Public Library, which was scheduled for last Saturday, had to be postponed to this Saturday, Dec. 20. It will take place from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m., in the library’s Madden Auditorium.

     • CONGRATS and best wishes to Tonya Culp on being named the new Executive Director of the Decatur Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (DACVB ).
     The Executive Board of the DACVB made the announcement last week and it was not a surprise.
     As the board mentioned in the announcement, Tonya has strong ties to the community having lived in Decatur almost her entire life. She and her husband, Ed, have five boys, three daughters-in-law, and three grandchildren.
     The board gave its reason for its selection: “Tonya has been with the DACVB for almost four years as an integral part of the team and has developed skills and understanding of Tourism in Illinois and the Decatur-area. The board is excited to see where this next stage for the DACVB goes under Tonya’s leadership.”
     The board also thanked Teri Hammel on her retirement from the executive director position, and wished her “full enjoyment” in her plans for the future.
     Teri has been a key figure in the Macon County area with the DACVB for many years.
     “The board is very grateful for her stewardship of the organization and adaptability as tourism changed over the years,” stated the statement from the board.
I’ve been around since before there was a DACVB and very few individuals have held the position of executive director.
     Denene Wilmeth, and Teri Hammel after her, served in that position for most of the DACVB’s existence. Denene, who passed away in 2011, worked at the DACVB for 29 years and served as executive director for many of those years. Teri has been there for the past 28 years with the last 12 as executive director.
     I’m sure Tonya will add her contribution to that solid leadership for many years to come.
The board made a great choice!

     • I will not be back on WSOY’s Byers & Co. for the next few Thursday mornings at 7:00 because Christmas and New Year’s Day are on Thursday this year.
     I will be back talking to Brian Byers about issues in our community on Jan. 8th. That’s something we’ve done most Thursdays for the past 23 years!

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