(C) Daily Yonder - Keep it Rural This story was originally published by Daily Yonder - Keep it Rural and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Q&A: Dianne Connery and Rural Libraries [1] ['Madeline De Figueiredo', 'The Daily Yonder', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow', 'Class', 'Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus', 'Display Inline', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar', 'Where Img', 'Height Auto Max-Width', 'Vertical-Align Bottom .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar'] Date: 2025-11-07 Editor’s Note: This interview first appeared in Path Finders, an email newsletter from the Daily Yonder. Each week, Path Finders features a Q&A with a rural thinker, creator, or doer. Like what you see here? You can join the mailing list at the bottom of this article and receive more conversations like this in your inbox each week. Dianne Connery is the development director at the Pottsboro Area Public Library in rural North Texas, where she has helped transform the library into a model of rural innovation. Fifteen years ago, Connery stepped in to lead the library when it was on the brink of closing. Today, it is a thriving community hub offering digital literacy programs, telehealth access, and a mobile outreach vehicle that brings resources directly to residents. We spoke with Dianne about how the library reinvented itself to meet the evolving needs of its community. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. The Daily Yonder: What was your journey to becoming a part of the Pottsboro Library? Dianne Connery: About fifteen years ago, the library was on the verge of closing. The volunteers who had kept it running were getting older, and donations weren’t enough to keep the doors open. At that time, the library didn’t receive any taxpayer funding, every dollar came from fundraisers and donations. When I moved to town, I didn’t have a library background, but I saw a blank canvas full of potential. I jumped in as a volunteer, and one thing led to another. Today, I serve as the Development Director, which means I spend my days finding ways to keep our library strong and relevant through partnerships, grants, and creative community projects. Pottsboro is a close-knit North Texas town known for its generous spirit and sense of community. People here look out for one another, and our library reflects that spirit. It’s not just a place for books. It’s where people come to solve problems, learn new things, and feel connected. DY: When you took on a leadership role with the Pottsboro Library 15 years ago, it was on the brink of closing. It’s had quite the transformation since then. What has that transformation looked like at the day-to-day level and how has it shaped the broader community? DC: In the beginning, we were just trying to survive – repairing windows broken by neighborhood children, painting over graffiti from paintball guns, and finding enough money to pay the bills. But when changes started happening through grants, something incredible happened. People got excited. The community started showing up. People brought their skills, ideas, and time, and the library turned into a hub of possibility. City officials took note and decided to write the library into the city budget. Dianne Connery began her role as development director at the Pottsboro Area Public Library when it was on the brink of closing. (Photo courtesy of Dianne Connery) We have paid staff and a director now which has made all the difference. We couldn’t offer the service we do without our staff. The director, Renee Nichols, is a force to nature. She is incredibly organized, loves a good spreadsheet, and never stops moving. Now, a “typical” day might mean helping someone apply for a job, teaching a senior how to use their smartphone, or hosting a class on 3D printing. The library became a place where people can move forward in life whether that means finding work, learning about emerging technology, or connecting to healthcare. That shift has truly reshaped what our town sees as possible for itself. The Pottsboro Library is known around the world, and that creates an enormous sense of pride when you are a rural town. DY: Rural libraries often offer the community access to far more than just books. What are projects that you have been a part of at the Pottsboro Library that meet rural needs? DC: We’ve really leaned into meeting people where they are. For example, we turned part of our building into a telehealth access point, giving community members without internet or privacy at home a place to meet with doctors online. We also trained a Digital Navigator who helps residents build essential technology skills – from using email and applying for benefits to setting up telehealth apps. Through our Library of Things, people can borrow practical items like tools, games, hotspots, and laptops, while our STEM and workforce programs help both kids and adults gain confidence using new technology. Each of these efforts began with a local problem we wanted to solve, not with a big budget, but with innovation and collaboration. The telehealth access in the Pottsboro Area Public Library. (Photo courtesy of Dianne Connery) DY: One issue we often hear about in rural communities is limited access to broadband and digital tools. From your perspective, what role can rural libraries play in bridging the digital divide, creating access to the internet, and supporting digital literacy? DC: Rural libraries are the perfect place to address the digital divide because people already trust us. We’re local, we’re free, and we’re approachable. At Pottsboro, we’ve provided Wi-Fi that reaches the parking lot, loaned out hotspots and devices, and offered one-on-one tech help. But what’s just as important as access is confidence. People need to feel comfortable using technology, and libraries are patient spaces where that can happen. We also help collect stories and data about who still doesn’t have broadband, which is crucial when counties like ours are planning infrastructure projects. DY: The Pottsboro Library has become a model for other small and rural libraries. From your perspective, what helps rural libraries not only survive but truly thrive? DC: Partnerships, creativity, and limited bureaucracy. Thriving rural libraries don’t try to copy big-city models. They lean into being local. We partner with schools, nonprofits, city and county leaders, and even local businesses to expand what’s possible. We also experiment a lot. Everything is a beta test. Being small lets us move fast and try new things like launching telehealth, teaching AI classes, or lending nontraditional items. When the community sees their ideas come to life in the library, they become our biggest champions. Dianne Connery (right) and her colleague Renee Nichols (left) with the Pottsboro Area Public Library book bike. (Photo courtesy of Dianne Connery.) DY: Looking ahead, what projects or opportunities are you most excited about at the Pottsboro Library, and how do you see them shaping the next chapter for both the library and the community? DC: Our newest project is an outreach vehicle. It’s basically a library on wheels bringing Wi-Fi, STEM kits, health information, and books to neighborhoods, schools, and community events. We’re also expanding our civic engagement work, helping residents have a voice in local decisions. Both projects are about taking the library outside the walls; bringing connection and care wherever people are. That’s the future I’m most excited about. The library is about people. When a community believes in its library and its library believes in the community, transformation happens. Pottsboro’s story could happen anywhere. All it takes is people who care enough to show up, dream big, and work together. This interview first appeared in Path Finders, a weekly email newsletter from the Daily Yonder. Each Monday, Path Finders features a Q&A with a rural thinker, creator, or doer. Join the mailing list today, to have these illuminating conversations delivered straight to your inbox. Related Republish This Story Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. 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