Design approved for new Menan public library as fundraising efforts continue

MENAN – As efforts continue to secure funding for a new public library in Menan, a newly released design of the building has been approved.

On April 17, the Jefferson County Free Library District released a rendering of the proposed 7,500-square-foot building on its Facebook page.

“The design was made to feel just like Menan, with a similar style to some of our oldest homes and community buildings. It’s beautiful, cozy, and feels just right for our town,” James Zolman, president of the Friends of the Menan Annis Grant Public Library, writes on Facebook.

Zolman and his wife, Megan, formed the nonprofit organization last year to help the three-person library district accomplish its goal for a new library.

RELATED | Funding woes slow efforts for a new public library in Menan

The district began raising funds for a new library in 2017. A one-acre parcel east of the Menan City Park was donated to the city years ago for the project. About $1.7 million is needed to fund the construction. To date, they’ve raised about $330,000 through community events. They want it to be a community-driven effort, rather than trying to pass a bond.

The board has applied for multiple grants to fund the project, but have been denied for various reasons.

The Zolmans heard about the district’s challenges and wanted to get involved. They live across the street from the current library, housed in a 1,500-square-foot trailer behind Midway Elementary. He’s a digital marketer by profession and she runs the finances for her family’s farm.

In a conversation with EastIdahoNews.com, James says their motivation for getting involved was to give something back to the community.

“I lived in 36 different homes before I was 12 … so I don’t have roots anywhere,” James says, explaining that Megan grew up in Menan. “We wanted our kids to have roots. On our 20th wedding anniversary a couple years ago, we decided to take a look at what we could do to serve our community to build deeper roots here and leave a lasting legacy.”

Books are also a passion for the couple. James says they read 40 to 50 books a year between them.

Over the last year, the couple have helped the board write letters to various agencies for grants.

They also completed a feasibility study about the library last summer and launched a social media campaign to increase awareness.

Through research, they’ve discovered literacy rates at Midway Elementary have dropped significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

“It’s tied to students not getting exposed to teachers or to books in general (as a result of the lockdown),” James explains. “When there isn’t education and books in front of kids every day, the impact is huge.”

Lack of space at the current library also poses a challenge, he says, and having a new building that’s five times the size would benefit the community in numerous ways, including improving literacy.

“The library can’t run huge programs like the summer reading program, which brings more than 200 people every week. There’s going to be a community room (in the new building) that will be available year-round,” says James.

Eastern Idaho Public Health and other groups frequently utilize library space for meetings, and trustees say having a space available for the community is another point in favor of a new library.

Tax money allotted to the library district can only be used for operational costs. For that reason, trustee Linda Radford says it’s advantageous to have the Zolmans running a separate nonprofit to further their cause.

“The Friends group, because it’s the non-taxable group that it is, can choose its own builder,” Radford says. “Under the circumstances where we started out, we had to bid out the construction and take the lowest bidder.”

RELATED | New public library needs design, grant funding before construction can begin

While the Zolmans won’t know whether the library district has been approved for a grant for several months, they remain optimistic that the funding will be there. Their goal is to break ground on the new building next spring.

“It’s a time crunch. Their lease expires (in 2027) and they won’t have anywhere to go (if we don’t begin construction),” Megan says. “We’ll need at least a year to build.”

“We’re one of three libraries in the Jefferson County Free Library District,” trustee Laurie Willmore adds. “If this library closes, it will dissolve the library district.”

Trustee JoAnn Jones is grateful to the Zolmans for their help in working through the roadblocks. She looks forward to having a new library at some point in the future.

A Venmo account has been set up for those who’d like to donate to the project. Visit the website for more information.