Martin Public Library Shares Great Success

The Martin Public Library opened in 2021, and since then, has become a valuable source for the Martin community. Since its opening, the library has had over 70,000 visits from natives as well as people who are traveling through the city. The Library Director, Katie Parr, says that part of the success comes from the library being more than a space for books to be read.

“We have study rooms here that UTM students use and tutors use a lot and they are always booked. You don’t need a library card to use the rooms,” Parr said.

The library also houses the Event Center, where community activities can be held. The Event Center can be rented out by anyone for an event, and many restaurants in the community are available for catering. Parr says that the events held at the Event Center tend to bring people into the library to see what it is like. 

On top of books and study rooms, the library also offers many different items that are available for check-out, such as instruments, a recording studio, hot spots, baking pans and more. These are available to anyone who has a library card. For those who do not have a library card, the process is quite simple.

“You need an ID with your current address on it. If you don’t have that address on your ID, you can bring a piece of mail, and then you fill out a library card application,” Parr said.

Many different programs and events are held at the library, such as their new D&D sessions, and the Summer Reading Program, which recently wrapped up. The Summer Reading Program runs for eight weeks, and it is a program set in place to encourage reading throughout the summer break. 

Since the library has a strong selection of books, they are able to lend books to other libraries who may need them, as well as borrow books from other libraries as well. This past year, the Martin Public Library loaned out 353 books to various libraries. 

“We find the books for the patrons and borrow them and then they borrow from us,” Parr said.

There are many different events being held at the library, different resources and materials, and a wide variety of books available, this is part of the reason the library is so successful, according to Parr.

“We want to be as diverse as possible. We listen to what patrons want and we keep up with current trends,” Parr said.