Despite budget cuts from Montgomery County and the Texas Legislature, the Malcolm Purvis Library, part of the Montgomery County Memorial Library System, is making changes to its children’s center.

Previously the library was also occupied by a Montgomery County tax office. With the opening of the Constable David Hill Criminal Justice Building, the tax office was able to move, leaving a vacant room in the library.

“Since it’s (the room) empty, we used the space,” Library Branch Manager Barbara Appleby said.

Appleby added that the wall separating the two rooms was removed and the children’s books are moving into the area along with tables for children’s activities. Adult books, which used to be on shelves closest to the tax office wall, will now move to the other side of the library where the children’s books used to be.

In addition, Tasha Hobbs has agreed to paint a mural on the wall in the children’s center. She is painting a train arriving at a depot station with a library inside the depot. Appleby said the library saw the depot as an inspiration and wanted to keep the theme going.

Originally, rooms used for community space, such as book club meetings, were being used to hold children’s activities hosted by the library. Appleby said the library had no choice but to use the space for the library’s activities due to limited rooms.

“There was hardly any community space,” she added.

However, with the new children’s center, Appleby said the library will be able to use the rooms for community space as intended, while children’s activities will be hosted in the newly renovated children’s center.

Appleby said the transition was easy and renovations came at little expense.

The Malcolm Purvis Library is using several different shelving units from other libraries in order to hold the volume of books in the library and to cut cost on buying new shelving.

Appleby said with the current budget status, she is happy with the renovations.

“With money the way it is, I’m really happy for the expansion,” she said.

Additionally, Appleby said the library is in the process of getting four new chairs with attached table tops for guests who bring their lap tops. The library will also get two more computers.

In Feburary, Texas libraries were facing a 99 percent reduction in state funding in library service programs and a 93 percent decrease in state funding for library resource sharing programs. Montgomery County libraries were also facing a 10 percent reduction in county funding.

Appleby said that state grants are no longer available after the legislature’s final decision.

She said the library is depending on the community.

“We’re depending on local people to step up and help,” she said.

The new children’s center will be offering new activities soon, such as Baby and Me Story Time, Toddler Story Time, Young Explorers and Tween Scene. For more information, call 936-442-7704 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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