Marathon Public Library has received a generous $1 million capital gift from the Prentice Farrar Brown and Alline Ford Brown Foundation for its Heart of Marathon campaign. The $2+ million fundraising initiative aims to enlarge the Marathon Public Library and revitalize the Marathon History Museum. Although the campaign was launched in late 2019, it was delayed due to the pandemic.
The Marathon Public Library is the smallest accredited library in Texas, with just 723 square feet. Despite its size, it has seen a 40% increase in patron visits and a 29% increase in computer users since 2019, attracting 13,623 patron visits and 7,129 computer users in 2022.
The library anticipates breaking ground on the expansion in late 2024, with an additional $1 million required to complete the project. The new library will include an adult reading room, distinct areas for infants, children, and teens, expanded stacks for collections, increased computer workstations, a multi-purpose community room, and covered porches for outdoor seating and an outdoor garden.
The Heart of Marathon campaign also plans to transform the Marathon History Museum, with new exhibits and a touchscreen presentation focused on the Trans-Pecos region, Native Americans, exploration and settlement, Big Bend National Park, and the history of Marathon.
This remarkable gift from the Prentice Farrar Brown and Alline Ford Brown Foundation will help the Marathon Public Library achieve its vision of connecting, inspiring, and empowering people to make a difference in the world. The library team is grateful for the foundation’s commitment to their cause and will continue fundraising efforts for the project’s completion.
Big Bend Times 