LCRA awards $25,000 grant for public library drive-thru window

Addition at the Friench Simpson Memorial Library will add convenient pick up and drop-off option for library users

Dec. 6, 2022

The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $12,690 in matching funds from the city, will help pay for constructing the drive-thru window, which will add another option for people dropping off or picking up items at the library.

“This new drive-thru window will be such a great addition for people who don’t want to get out of their vehicles and come inside the library for any number of reasons,” said Grace Ward, Hallettsville city administrator and city secretary. “Maybe someone has young kids with them and they don’t want to bring everyone inside the library just to return something, or maybe someone who is more vulnerable to illnesses wants to avoid unnecessary interactions with groups of people – this drive-thru window will provide a wonderful alternative for them.”

The staffed drive-thru window also will increase safety for people when it’s raining, since the current return drop box is located only a few feet from a rainwater downspout.

“Part of the sidewalk that’s close to the drop box can get slippery when it’s raining, and there also is a curved curb at the same spot that can be difficult for some people to maneuver,” Ward said. “We have a lot of elderly library users, and we want to be sure they have a safe environment when they visit. This drive-thru addition has received support from school and retirement groups alike because people of all ages use the library.”

The library staff hopes to get the number of visitors back to what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic, and maybe even higher. The Friench Simpson Memorial Library is the most centrally located public library in Lavaca County, Ward said.

“Our library visitation numbers dropped dramatically during the pandemic, but we hope we can get even more people using the library with the addition of the drive-thru window and by reminding people we have lots of movies and books they can reserve online,” Ward said. “This drive-thru will help us continue to provide services to people in the community. It is the permanent solution to the innovative curbside service developed during COVID-19 by our amazing library staff. Of course, visitors will still be able to call us or come inside to check out items if they prefer, because it’s all about providing support and ease of service.”

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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