BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Martin County Public Library at the Collier Center in Inez is being used “considerably more than in years past.” Library board chairperson Donnie Osborne announced the facility had 18,605 physical book checkouts and 1,851 electronic checkouts in 2022.
“We had 4,000 to 5,000 more checkouts in this location than the old one,” Osborne told library board members during a Monday meeting. “The interesting graphic is these are people checking out books. They’re not checking out movies tremendously because of streaming services. Times are changing, but people are still using our facility.”
Osborne said the library saw an increase in checkouts with the OverDrive system.
“We were one of the first programs in the state of Kentucky to participate in OverDrive. We were one of the first 10 to do it,” said Osborne. “And now it’s great with the Libby app to check out audiobooks, e-books, magazines and other things.”
According to Osborne, the program lets the library tailor-order books specifically for its patrons. “It’s a wonderful resource,” he said.
Osborne told board members that work to upgrade tennis courts at Warfield Park and behind the Martin County Public Library in Inez should begin in March.
Upgrades will include repairing cracks with a joint compound, resurfacing with a colored sealant, new striping and nets, replacing a broken net suspension system, and installing windscreens on the existing chainlink fence and covered benches.
“There will be a cardinal logo on something,” Osborne said. “I’m not 100% sure what that is.”
Osborne said the Martin County High School tennis team had about 20 members last year, and if the team grows this year, it might need to split up and use courts in both Inez and Warfield for practices.
Funding for the project comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s High Obesity Program in collaboration with the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. Jigsaw Contracting will perform the job.
Osborne announced the library district would participate in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
“Where we are now, they have ordered one copy of each of those books for the head start classrooms in the county,” said Osborne. “They get a new book each month.”
Board member Denise Stepp explained that students receive the books in the mail.
“It’s exciting for them to go to the mailbox,” Stepp said.
Osborne and board member Maurice Mills gave an update on the board’s discussions with Appalachian Regional Healthcare about the company using the old library building on Main Street.
“The judge’s office gave a tour of the facility, the deputy judge at the time, and we have given several tours after that,” stated Osborne. “They are interested in using our facility.”
Mills said the last tour was Jan. 12 and noted that an ARH representative had confirmed the company’s interest in the facility.