VOLUNTEERS CREATE LIBRARY IN MCCLURE

McCLURE, Ill. -- Oscar Brown has enjoyed reading for a long time -- more than 85 years.

Brown, 92, of McClure is a frequent visitor to the new McClure Library, which recently opened in this small Southern Illinois community.

"He likes westerns and detective books," said Myrtle Barrett, Brown's sister, and a volunteer at the library, located in the Baptist Mission building on Market Street in McClure. "And, once in a while, he may read a romance novel."

Brown, the oldest of 11 children, was born on Devil's Island, which is located between McClure and the Mississippi River.

"I do love to read," he said, during a recent afternoon at the new library.

Area residents can visits McClure Library four days a week -- from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday and Thursday; 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday; and 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday.

The library is the culmination of a project started by a group of concerned citizens.

The town had a library at one time in history. But it had been closed for some time.

"We wanted to revive it," said Brenda Webb.

The group worked through Project Success, a program designed to provide various services throughout the Shawnee School District. One of the district's schools is located at McClure.

To get started the group sought help from Bill Blackmon of the Illinois Coalition for Community Service.

"He was encouraging," said Webb. "He told us that if we could come up with a location and some volunteers to operated the library, he could arrange for some books."

The McClure Library group went to work. Member are Webb, chairman; Barrett, a retired teacher as secretary; Carol Colyer, Leon Gibbar and Teresa Taylor as trustees.

The group found a place and started collecting money for supplies.

"We raised some funds for operating capital -- shelves and supplies -- from bake sales and donations," said Webb. "We received a big donation from the local chapter of Woodmen of the World Insurance."

With the help of Blackmon, the library was stocked.

"We have more than 1,500 titles on the shelves, and a few periodicals," said Webb. "And, we have some books that we don't have room for right now."

The library has a variety of books -- children's books, history and novels, which is helping to attract a good patron base.

The committee, said Webb, doesn't need any more books, but could still use some funds for operating capital.

The library is operated by all volunteer labor, Webb said.