7,000 Titles Later...

Today marked a huge accomplishment due to the commitment of so many individuals. Six years ago MRA started a library that existed in the hallway to the gym.  Many thanks to Emily Miller who knew the value and importance of making books accessible to every student at MRA.  She made the dream a reality and added as many books as she could to the small library that first year.  In the years to come the library was moved, abandoned, and relocated many times.  Piles of boxes of books continued to be donated and stacked in any available corner with the hope that someday they would be displayed and made available to our students.

MRA Library in 2012

With  less then 500 Titles

For the past two years the boxes of books have been stored in the walk-in refrigerators in our kitchen.  The task seemed daunting as there were close to 6,000 books waiting to be cleaned, labeled, cataloged, and shelved.  As the quonset hut became the nesting place for our library and the setting seemed to accommodate it well, we began the adventure of filling the shelves brimming with books.  Many thanks to the volunteers who spent countless hours, we now have over 7,300 titles in our library.  Today, I cataloged the last book from the last box that was stored in one of the many various places throughout the years.  This is what makes MRA an amazing place to learn and work, the commitment to the education of our children taken on by a community to see it to fruition.  So, with a full heart I want to thank Emily Miller, Jenny Cook, Noelle Brown, Cassie Righter, Nicole Wynn, Jessica Enz, Sandy Trussell, Lori Martin, Stacy Lowder, and all the families and volunteers who have helped our library become what it is today.  Thank you for your dedication in making books readily available for our students.