By Rory Dulock | Staff Writer
From books and records to free computer access, the Waco-McLennan County Library has been offering resources to the local community for several decades and holding events to spur greater involvement along the way.
In an effort to increase its accessibility, the Waco-McLennan County Library has also expanded into multiple locations. Its four branches are the Central Library, the East Waco Library, the South Waco Library and the West Waco Library.
Madelyn Treat, a library assistant at the Central Library, said she has always felt drawn to libraries due to her love of reading.
“After I graduated from high school, I knew I didn’t want to work in fast food or something like that, and the library had a position open for a page, which is someone who shelves books, so I started out doing that,” Treat said. “At a certain point, I realized that I really liked it here and I wanted to be here more, so I applied for a library assistant position, which has more responsibilities and hours.”
Treat said she has always recognized the importance of the Waco-McLennan County Library for the local community.
“I think [the library] is important because we provide so many services at no cost,” Treat said. “Obviously, when people think of libraries, they think of getting books. But we offer free computers downstairs. We have printing. We answer questions just to make it easier for people to go about their day-to-day lives — like we have transit maps. We can look up stuff for people about getting jobs. So it’s a lot more than just getting books.”
Treat said the library’s biggest impact is giving Wacoans a resource center.
“It gives Wacoans a place to go whenever they need anything,” Treat said. “If they need to learn something. If they need to find something to do, to enjoy. If they need computers. If they need a space to have a meeting — like we have a Girl Scout meeting going on downstairs right now. So I feel like pretty much anything that the community needs, an individual or group, we can provide in some form or fashion.”
Waco local Brooke Watkins said she goes to the library at least twice a month with her son.
“My son likes to come and get a few books. He mainly likes Peppa Pig books, but I mainly try to look for other books to read,” Watkins said. “I think [the library] brings joy — especially this one. … And sometimes they do have things that go on inside of the library that you can come to, so I think it has a lot of good resources.”
In addition to the traditional services, Treat said the library tries to have several events going on all the time, scheduling many on Fridays and Saturdays when more families will be able to attend.
“There is an escape room event coming up. We have a bunch of holiday events coming up,” Treat said. “During the summer, we have a lot of events for kids — just anything to get people coming up, not just reading. Some of our most popular stuff is like, we have Minecraft and Roblox nights for kids. … And then we offer things for adults, like we partner with Goodwill, and they offer computer help and job search help. So it’s fun stuff and practical stuff as well.”
Watkins said she thinks the events the library holds encourage people to get out of their comfort zone.
“[The library] is important because it can help my son and others to go to the next level with reading — and again, the different resources that you are needing within the home or school or whatever the case may be,” Watkins said.
Treat said all of the opportunities and resources the Waco-McLennan County Library has make it special.
“I honestly haven’t been to many other libraries, because this one just offers so much that you don’t really have to go anywhere else,” Treat said. “Compared to an academic library like Baylor’s, they don’t really offer the same services; there’s not really an emphasis on the enjoyment of reading or the enjoyment of community — like you go there to learn something or to find information. Here, it’s more community-oriented, like a more enjoyment-based service.”
