LCRA awards $25,000 grant for new lighting, A/C for the Coleman Public Library
Upgrades include energy-efficient heating and cooling units, low-flow toilets
Nov. 9, 2022
The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $8,458 in matching funds from the non-profit group Friends of the Coleman Public Library, will pay for energy-efficient LED lighting throughout the 18,000-square-foot library and in an outdoor vestibule.
Library Director Sue Dossey said most of the existing lighting dates back about 50 years, making it difficult to find replacement lights, fixtures and ballasts.
“The improvements to the lighting will make our library much more attractive and easier on the eyes for people while they are reading, searching for books, working on projects or spending time in our computer lab,” Dossey said.
One of the library’s two new high-efficiency units for heating, ventilation and air conditioning will replace an older model that suffers leaks, which can cause water damage. The five low-flow toilets will take the place of toilets that date back to the 1980s.
“I’m excited about these new HVAC systems, but I’m also excited about making everything more energy efficient to help defray the cost of our utilities,” said Dossey, who has worked at the library for 40 years.
The Coleman Public Library consists of three side-by-side downtown buildings, with one featuring a community room that is available for public events. The library has extensive modern-day and historical holdings, including the Dr. Walter M. Woodward Texas History Collection. Eighteen computers are available to patrons, and the library recently created a business center where users can charge cell phones, use free Wi-Fi and print or fax documents.
Dossey praised the Friends of the Coleman Library for supporting the library and helping it continue to improve its building and the services it provides.
“Not all libraries are lucky enough to have a ‘friends’ group, but the Coleman Public Library has an outstanding group,” Dossey said. “Anything the library needs that is not within the city’s budget, they help come up with the funds for it, through fundraisers and grants. We appreciate this support and look forward to working with LCRA.”
The community grant is one of 46 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves.
Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in January. More information is available at lcra.org/cdpp.
About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations. For more information, visit lcra.org.
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