ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / January 19, 2000

EDGARD – With a snip of the scissors, the residents of Edgard and the west bank of St. John the Baptist Parish finally got what they’ve wanted for along time – a new and improved library.

Branch manager Vergie Johnson was emotional at the grand opening of the Roland Borne Sr. Memorial Branch of the St. John Parish Library lastFriday morning.

“I’m very, very excited to be in this building,” Johnson said, choking back tears of happiness. “I’ve been looking forward to this for a long, longtime.”For the past several years Johnson and her staff have labored in the tiny, cramped Edgard branch library located in a small building behind the Edgard Courthouse.

“It was so small,” stated Library Board of Control member Grace Cook, “that you could spit out the back door from the front door.”All that is now changed. After the voters of St. John Parish accepted amillage hike several years ago, the parish spent over $500,000 to build a spacious modern library about a mile from the courthouse on Louisiana Highway 18.

With over 11,000 volumes on hand, plus ready access to the internet, the new branch library will be a welcome addition to the west bank community.

The West St. John High School band began the festivities by marching intothe branch library’s parking lot and serenading the crowd gathered for the dedication.

After the ribbon-cutting everybody went inside where members of the Library Board of Control and other parish dignitaries all rejoiced in the new building.

“Kids need libraries and education to succeed in society,” said former Parish Councilman Perry Bailey, who was instrumental in getting the branch library built.

Former Parish President Arnold Labat was also present at the dedication and is justifiably proud of the building. The plan to build the branchlibrary was formulated during his administration.

“I see this as a big step for the west bank,” said Labat, “and this is only the beginning of more libraries.” He said soon there will be a library in Mt.Airy.

Judge Madeline Jasmin, a native of Edgard, said, “This is a momentous day for the west bank.” She smiled, then added: “We aren’t looking for morepeople over here, just the same services enjoyed by the rest of the parish.”The branch is named after the late Roland Borne Sr., a teacher, schoolboard member and community leader on the west bank.

“Roland Borne was a friend to this community,” said Bailey. “To me, he wasa mentor. This library ensures the spirit of Mr. Borne lives on.”Borne’s widow, Selina Borne, thanked everyone for dedicating the library in her husband’s memory.

“I appreciate it, and I’m sure that Roland would appreciate it,” said Mrs. Borne.

St. John School Board Superintendent Chris Donaldson said he, too, ispleased with the library.

“This is a beautiful facility,” Donaldson told the crowd, “and you can count on the school board to support building more libraries.”That is exactly what the parish intends to do. According to the LibraryBoard of Control Treasurer George Haas, the next project is to move the main library from its present Airline Highway location to a new building to be erected on U.S. Highway 51 in what will be the LaPlace Park.By the way, for those of you interested in such things, the Roland Borne Sr. Branch Library loans out something that isn’t seen much lately – record albums. For the younger generation, albums are those large black vinylround things your parents used to dance to. Nowadays they are called CDs. So if you want to see an album, check out the collection at the Roland Borne Sr. Library in Edgard.

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