Burton Library marks 80 years of service

The Burton Memorial Library held an open house and anniversary party Saturday morning in celebration of 80 years of service to the people of Donley County and Clarendon.

Approximately 80 people attended the party hosted by the Friends of the Library. Attendees enjoyed cake, cookies, and punch; and author Kyle Garner was on hand to sign copies of his book, Whatever It Takes.

The library was established by the Pathfinders Study Club in 1923 and was originally located on the second floor of City Hall. Before that year was over, the library was moved to larger quarters on the first floor.

Gabie Betts Burton served as the library’s first librarian and was instrumental in its founding. She held that position for 24 years and for many years wrote a weekly column, “Library Notes,” for The Donley County Leader. On the library’s 14th anniversary, she wrote the following:

“If I were asked to name the institution of most value to all the people of a community, leaving out the church and school, of course, I should answer ‘a library.’ Nothing else contributes to the happiness and well being of as many individuals, both old and young, rich and poor. For books are no respecters of persons. They contribute their stored treasures of wisdom, of beauty, of inspiration, of wit, and of eloquence to all who are willing to delve into them.”

The library became a department of the city in 1928 and then became a joint city-county operation in 1945, partnership that continues to this day.

Local people often thought of the institution as “Mrs. Burton’s Library.” She retired in 1947 and passed away in 1948. Two years later, the library was renamed the Gabie Betts Burton Library at the urging of the Pathfinders Club.

In March 1977, City Hall was remodeled to its present configuration for municipal offices, and the library was moved into former tax office in the Donley County Courthouse, the present site of the Commissioners’ Courtroom. Space there was very limited and cramped.

An official Library Board was first created by city and county officials in September 1977 and helped the library meet the standards to join the Texas Panhandle Library System in 1978.

An anonymous gift of $50,000 combined with the hard work and donations of local civic leaders led to the purchase and remodeling of two buildings on Kearney Street, and the library moved to its modern home in August of 1981. At that time, the name was officially changed to the Burton Memorial Library.

 Several people have followed in Mrs. Burton’s footsteps to care for her library. Those people holding the title of librarian have been Gabie Betts Burton, May Lumpkin Prewitt, Edith Speed Barnes, Miss Isla Smith, Sarah Cline, Lawrence Neece, Annis Stavenhagen, Diane Chamberlain, Mary Lynn Bills, Mary Green, Carolyn Blackerby, and Jerri Shields.

Mrs. John Justice was also a longtime library employee under the tenures of Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Cline. She also worked under Mr. Neece through the Green Thumb Program.

Today’s library continues with that same spirit of community service embodied by its namesake and provides the public with access not only to traditional books but also to audio books, videotapes, and access to the Internet. Under the watchful eyes of Librarian Jerri Sheilds and her assistants, Mary Lynn, Irene Oatman, and Bill Russell, it seems certain that Mrs. Burton’s library will continue to bring pleasure, inspiration, and learning to the people of Donley County for many years to come.

Source material for this article was provided by the Burton Memorial Library, the files of The Donley County Leader, and the late Helen Porter Lowe.