Ville Platte Rotary Club Meeting June 14, 2022 Dr. William Holmes, the new Evangeline Parish Librarian and members of his staff were featured speakers at today's (Tuesday) meeting of the Ville Platte Rotary Club Meeting. Holmes is a native of Mamou and was previously employed at LSU Eunice teaching business and finance. He shared the following stats: the parish library system has 23,800 registered library card holders out of a parish population of 33,500; the library, last year during Covid, still had 31,000 patron visits to the various branches; 82,600 books were circulated last year while 16,500 E-books were circulated. He announced a major expansion to the main Ville Platte branch, an increase of 3000 square feet to the main branch. Plans call for additional parking, a new conference room, a new genealogy room and a children's and adolescent room. The work should be complete by next year. Also, the library board is in the process of constructing a new Basile library branch. The land is being purchased on Stagg street. Also speaking were Outreach coordinators Suzie Lemoine and Keesha Ford discussing the summer Reading program. The speakers were the guests of Rotarian Kermit Miller. Rotary Club President Jimmy Leblanc reminded club members that next Tuesday, June 21, will be the annual Rotary Club Installation Banquet at Café Evangeline at 6:00pm. There will be no noon luncheon.