Library simply not on the books

This is a community with family values and a high priority on education, yet it's never had a public library.

Fisher resident Debbie Estes led an effort to pass a referendum in March 2000 to establish a Fisher area district library.

The library question was defeated with 855 "no" votes and 160 "yes" votes, according to the Champaign County Clerk's office.

Estes said she was disappointed, especially because Fisher National Bank was offering to donate its vacated downtown building.

"It was hard not to take it personally," she said. "But I do see that maybe our timing was off."

Around that same time, Fisher residents were looking at a significant tax increase to pay for a new grade school. She also speculates that earlier this century, Fisher might have missed out on opportunities for a library building courtesy of early library philanthropists like Andrew Carnegie.

Estes said some residents pay for Lincoln Trails Library System cards to access libraries in Champaign and Rantoul.

But after learning the Rantoul library's fee for nonresidents was $60, another Fisher resident decided to establish a free book lending program in April 2003.

At that time Nancy Curfman was the grand noble for the Order of the Odd Fellows Rebekah Lodge in Fisher.

In the course of providing a ride for a customer to a hair salon one day, Curfman had an idea. The stylist kept a shelf for customers to share books. Curfman decided to expand on that idea to fill the library void in Fisher.

The service is named the Owl Creek Free Book Exchange after the creek that runs through town. It is open from 3 to 6 p.m. on the first and third Mondays each month. Curfman said she is now considering Saturday hours.

The service is open to non-Fisher residents, and Curfman reports patrons from Farmer City, Gibson City, Mansfield, Paxton and Rantoul. Curfman emphasizes that it's not a library, and use is strictly on the honor system. It logged its 1,000th patron in June.

Books are not shelved by the official Dewey Decimal system, but are stored in banana boxes from the grocery store produce department. Titles include both paperbacks and hardbacks, fiction and non-fiction, with a good selection of children's books, Curfman said.

The 1888 lodge building that houses the book exchange is perhaps a history book in itself, with photos and articles on display covering the group's history. The building is located at Third and Sangamon Streets and book patrons are asked to use the lodge building's Sangamon Street entrance.

For more information, come for coffee and maybe some cookies during Monday hours or contact Curfman at 897-6544.