You couldn ’ t know the library ’ s reach by looking at it . The smallest accredited library in Texas , it ’ s about the size of your average one-bedroom apartment . But in 2022 alone , the library served more than 13,000 patrons . It hosts hundreds of programs and events annually , from children ’ s reading , science , and theater programs to lecture series and book binding classes . Our little cinderblock sanctuary houses a collection of thousands of books and DVDs , catalogued online for easy browsing . Visitors can also access computers , wi-fi , and other services . The library even has a 3-D printer .

I was enchanted by the city . I remember walking across a bridge over the Charles River by myself for the first time , and in the shadow of the Boston skyline , I ’ d never felt so small . I went to school just outside the city but spent most of my weekends wandering around downtown , learning to navigate its old streets and discovering places I could eat for cheap . But every so often , I had days when I was less awe-struck and painfully homesick , when I couldn ’ t escape the noise and the crowds and the cold . On those days , I had one place I ’ d go to find some solace and comfort : the public library .

The Boston Public Library meant more to me than the stacks , though . In fact , I don ’ t recall ever actually checking out a book . It was about being able to go and sit in this space without needing a real reason to be there . I didn ’ t have to buy a t-shirt , drink a beer or eat a meal – all of which I could hardly afford anyway – to pass the hours there . The library belonged to everyone . It was quiet but bustling . I found solitude but never felt alone . At the time , nothing was more precious to me than the warmth – physical and metaphorical – afforded by the library .

Fast forward to today , 15 years or so later , and I ’ m in a place that , in many ways , couldn ’ t differ more from the Boston metro area . Far West Texas does make me feel small , living under the expanse of sky at the feet of nearby mountains , but I have an acute sense of significance and purpose here that comes with being one of Marathon ’ s 400- some-odd residents . I feel like I can contribute something and help build on what ’ s here . I ’ ve gained an appreciation for all the efforts , the institutions that connect the people who live here and make it special . These are the things that make us more than just a blip on a map – they ’ re what make us a community . And in Marathon , one of the most important of these efforts and institutions is our very own public library .

Even so , these are just facts and figures you can turn up with a quick Google search . What ’ s harder to articulate is the impact the library has on the people who live here , especially the kids . The library might be the place they first see a picture of a gorilla , get a chapter book , or use a coding program . They build confidence through acting in plays and building robots . And I guarantee they ’ ll always remember the faces of the people who greet them at the door – the folks who helped show them just how big the world is – no one ’ s more than Director Dara Cavness .

As someone relatively new to town , I have trouble picturing Marathon without this community touchpoint , but its demise was a real possibility only a decade ago . After the library spent years as a branch of the Alpine library system , budget cuts brought it to the brink of closure . That ’ s when community members like Erin Albright , now president of the library ’ s board of directors , rallied to keep the doors open , taking steps to build the Marathon Public Library as a separate entity governed by its own board . In 2013 , the library acquired its status as a 501 ( c )( 3 ) nonprofit and received its certificate of formation from the state . This year , Marathon commemorated the library ’ s 10- year milestone as a stand-alone , home-grown organization , and we had plenty to celebrate aside from the anniversary – namely , the success of a multi-million-dollar campaign to expand the library and revitalize the museum next door .

The expansion efforts , aptly named the “ Heart of Marathon ,” started in 2019 but gained momentum in the past two years . The library secured a lifetime lease from Brewster County for both the library and museum in 2022 . Also in 2022 , the campaign received a $ 1 million grant from the Brown Foundation of Dallas , which served as a catalyst for fundraising . As of December 2023 , when the library hosted its annual Christmas open house and a community conversation about the project , the campaign had raised more than $ 2 million of the estimated $ 2.5 million needed to expand the library and revamp the museum . Groundbreaking is expected in mid-2024 . ( Those who attended the open house got to see the footprint of the expansion outlined in Christmas lights .)

The library ’ s growth will help accommodate the demand for its services and flourishing programs . What ’ s more , the project will give new life to Marathon ’ s town square , a city block that ’ s also home to the community center , fire department and justice center . The plans include covered porches and a community room for people to gather and collaborate . The renovation of the museum , an adobe schoolhouse built in 1888 , will allow visitors to learn about the Trans- Pecos region , including its topography , flora and fauna , people , and history .

If I haven ’ t yet convinced you of how mighty our tiny library is , I ’ ll leave you with a couple recent accolades . In 2021 , the library was a finalist for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service by the Institute for Museum and Library Services , an honor that was given to just 15 libraries nationwide . In 2023 , it was one of two libraries on the Library Journal ’ s Best Small Library in America 2023 Honorable Mentions list .

The Marathon Public Library is nationally recognized because it ’ s so much more than books ; it ’ s a lynchpin in our community . It ’ s a place for us to come together , to learn , to hide from and then discover the world . I can ’ t wait to see what we can do with a space that reflects the library ’ s outsized impact . �

Cenizo Winter 2024