Mackin Library fund-raising continues

• Trudy Popenhagen, left, of Xcel Energy, presents check to library director Brenda Hackman

Trudy Popenhagen, left, of Xcel Energy, presents a $2,000 check to Brenda Hackman, director of the Hazel Mackin Library in Roberts. The library is raising funds for a new building. Submitted photo

Talk about it

The Hazel Mackin Library in Roberts recently received a $2,000 grant from Xcel Energy. At the presentation was the library’s first director, Trudy Popenhagen, who works for Xcel — she presented the check to current director Brenda Hackman.

The Hazel Mackin Library Board and the Fund Raising Committee are currently raising money for a larger library building to be constructed on Warren Street. Memorials, silent auctions, golf tournaments, an election night supper, pizza parties, Schwan food sales, grants and gifts have all been part of the fund-raising.

Hazel Mackin cookbooks are on sale at the library.

Background

Popenhagen, Xcel’s community service manager in Hudson, became the Hazel Mackin Library director when it opened in 1975 as part of the Roberts Centennial Celebration. The library area was then limited to the northeast corner of the old Village Hall on Main Street in Roberts.

Popenhagen had a desk and four book shelves which were located on the wall just to the left of her desk. Books were given by village of Roberts and town of Warren residents. New books were added with funds raised at bake sales and breakfasts at the annual Good Neighbors’ Days celebration.

A set of World Book Encyclopedias was presented by the St. Croix Library Board under the direction of Jean Hanson of New Richmond. Books were checked in and out by Popenhagen, and the library began to become an institution in Roberts.

Today, Hackman and assistant director Kathy Miller have a larger area in the remodeled old Village Hall and also the area of the village building, which began in 1939 as a blacksmith shop and then became the garage for the first village fire truck. The truck was given to the village by Charles Ward, former president of Brown and Bigelow, who resided in Hudson. The library now circulates 6,000 books, magazines, videocassettes, audio books, CDs and DVDs each month.

Tags: community, roberts, hazel, mackin, library, xcel, donation