Farley to lose its public library at the end of the month - KCRG

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FARLEY, Iowa (KCRG) - 9-year-old Emerson Lukes loves books, which is why she wants to become an author when she grows up.

“When we share our stories, whenever it comes to my turn, when I share my story my friend Tinsley is like, ‘I wish I could write stories like you; can you teach me how to write stories like that?’” Lukes said. “And that is why I think I could be a good author, maybe.”

So, logically, her go-to spot is Farley’s public library. However, like with any good book, on her most recent visit with her grandmother, Lukes discovered the plot twist: Farley’s public library is closing at the end of the month.

”When me and my grandma got back on our bikes to ride home I was telling her if we could do anything about it and she said, ‘You could write a letter about it’, and so I did,” Lukes said. ”I cannot have the library leave, I need this.”

Farley’s public library is located inside Drexler Middle School and is managed by the Dubuque County Library District. Mike Wright, director of the library district, said the Western Dubuque School District is expanding and needs the library space for that expansion, which is why it ended its agreement with the library district. The library will now close down on July 31.

Wright said losing the public library is a big hit for the Farley community.

“It is a community center, so there will not be that center in Farley right now,” Wright said. “In fact, I believe it will be the only town in the state this size without a public library.”

The library district, however, will bring out a mobile library two days a week to try and still make books and materials accessible to people.

”We will have materials in city hall, people can browse, people will be able to check things out,” Wright said. “It will not be the same as the library, but we will be filling the gap as best we can.”

Wright said the city is currently looking for a new space for the library, but he explained finding the ideal spot is not that simple.

“Structurally, libraries put a tremendous amount of weight on the floor, so it has to be a building that could structurally handle, I think it is 50 pounds per square foot, which is a lot,” Wright said.

Library staff is encouraging people to reach out to Farley city council members to find a new home for the library, a home Lukes is not willing to lose.

”I just feel like, every time, if you are sad, if you just read one chapter of a book you will be happier,” Lukes said. “I do not know if that goes for everyone, but it definitely goes for me.”

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