The Cozby Library and Community Commons has grown over the last 50 years after the city’s first library was operated in Old Town Coppell, according to the library’s history web page. Throughout the year, several events are scheduled to honor the 50th anniversary, including an author talk, special celebration and a decades party, Library Manager Alexis Wellborn said.
The overview
Lauren Osburn, a children’s librarian at the Cozby Library and Community Commons, said programming was chosen to commemorate the occasion. One program that lasted Jan. 2-31 was a library card design contest, with winning designs featured on special edition library cards.
“We felt like 50 years is a big deal and wanted to use it as an opportunity to highlight everything that the library offers,” Osburn said.
The 50th anniversary is also being used as a time to reflect on the changes the library has undergone, including expanded programming and being part of the Coppell’s Community Experiences Department, Wellborn said. Individuals with stories to share can submit them online through May.
The context
According to the city website, the current location of the library was opened in April 1995. The library was renovated in 2015 before it was rebranded as the Cozby Library and Community Commons in 2016, per the website.
Osburn said the initial library that opened in 1974 included a donation from a private collection but has grown to tens of thousands of materials.
“We didn’t always have internet or an online catalog,” Osburn said. “The library is constantly evolving as the world changes, but now we have laptops, puzzles and lots of things that are different from traditional library materials.”
What’s next?
A special celebration is planned for May 18 in the Town Plaza Center where guest speakers will share information about the library before transitioning into the kickoff celebration for the summer reading program. Other events, such as an adult reading challenges to read 50 books throughout the year, visits from both an author and illustrator, and a decades party in November, are planned to commemorate the 50th anniversary.
For more information about the Cozby Library and Community Commons and its 50th anniversary celebration, visit the city’s website.
