MEXIA, TX — Free books! That's right, free books!
Monday morning at 10am, free books return to Mexia, as the city opens its brand-new "temporary" library.
The town lost its public library just 5 weeks ago in a fire investigators call, deliberately set.
It's cause for celebration for families that depended on the library for education and even entertainment.
Kristin Green and her son, Dallas visited the Gibbs Memorial Library every two weeks, until fire interrupted their nightly story time.
"We could go, and check out the maximum possible, was 12 books, and we would read to him every single night," she explained.
Now, after going 5 weeks without new library books, the Green family, and others like them, will finally get their books back.
"So many folks depend on that on a daily basis," said Mexia City Councilman Butch Newhouse.
That's why Mexians and their leaders pulled together fast to get Mexia's most treasured resource back open as quickly as they could.
"We made great strides in putting our library back together," said Newhouse, who believes the city cleared it's biggest hurdle when the owner of the old Dixie Furniture store offered the building for use as a temporary library.
Monday, just over a month out from the fire, Mexia gets its library back.
The Teague Library donated furniture, Navarro College and Centex Citizens Credit Union donated computers, and it seems everybody in town donated a cherished book to share with a neighbor.
Mexia plans to have at least ten computers available for public use by the end of the month.
Across town, recovery at the fire-scarred Gibbs, presents problems.
"We still have some hurdles there," said Newhouse.
Early inspections suggest the city will have to tear down and rebuild the children's wing. Mexia will also have to remove asbestos from the building.
"As far as the timeline to get it finished? You know, We want it sooner than later," said the councilman.
That's good news to the Green family which takes pride in the fact, Mexia takes reading as seriously as Kristin, Dallas and the others here.
"That makes us, really, really, really happy. We love books, we've been reading to him since he was born." said Mrs. Green.
Monday's grand opening of the temporary library, kicks off at 10am at the old Dixie Furniture store at 318 East Main Street.
City and library leaders will get to show off all their hard work, and hopefully get a well-deserved pat on the back from library lovers who, once again, will have a place to read, study and learn.
