Community celebrates the 10th anniversary of Molly Pruitt Library

By Gisselle Washington | Big Stick Editor |

It was Nov. 7, 2019. An estimated 100 students and members of the community awaited the grand celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Molly Pruitt Library. The San Antonio Library welcomed guests from the school district and public servants from District 2 and served sweet refreshments and catering as well. 

“It went off without a hitch and the San Antonio public marketing team said it was the best celebration they had ever seen,” Branch Manager and Lead Librarian Rachel Downen said. “And it was well attended so it was awesome.”

The celebration offered remarks on behalf of City Council District 2 by Councilwoman Jada Andrews-Sullivan, Library Board of trustees by Representative Jo Ann Harris, and of the NEISD school district by Mr. Tom Johnson.

“It was successful in that the people that were scheduled to speak…” Downen said. “…They had nothing but wonderful things to say about the staff and the library and the community and the opportunities that we afford them and so that was pretty cool.”

Molly Pruitt Library has offered classes and programs for the past decade for its public patrons of the community such as family chess, citizenship classes, kids’ time, and much more. 

“The celebration of their ten year anniversary was nice to see because not only students of Roosevelt attended, but people from all over the community,” senior Camryn Elise said. “It brought them together to celebrate and I think libraries having that is important because it’s more than just borrowing books.”

What sets apart Molly Pruitt Library from any other library in the San Antonio public library organization is the fact the library creates close connections with its public patrons in the community according to Downen. The lead librarian has worked at the library since Feb. 18, 2013, and was able to mother a patron who came into Molly Pruitt.

“My son Mustafa was first a public library patron,” Downen said. “…Then I became his tutor here, and then I became his friend, and then I became his mom. He’s from Afghanistan and so is his wife and so now she’s my daughter and I have grandkids through them.”

Librarian Anna Denney works for the Roosevelt High School Library that coexists alongside the public library and enjoys interacting with the experience of interacting with the students and working with the staff members.

“My hopes are for, that we continue having students come in to read,” school librarian Denney said. “Reading is wonderful. The kids learn so much. We have so many different resources in here and just getting to come into the library is the best thing.”