What Is The Tower District Library Project?

Jan 18, 2025 | 2025 Articles, Books & Tales, Community, Lorie Lewis Ham

by Lorie Lewis Ham

Brooke Payton is on a mission to get a library in the Tower District of Fresno, California—a worthy goal. She calls herself a Tower District Library Advocate. When I first met her at an event at Bookish in the Tower, I was intrigued by this project and wanted to know more, and recently I had the chance to chat with Brooke.

KRL: How and why did you get involved? And/or did you start this?

Brooke: On May 18, Root Access hosted the Van Ness Village Business Roundtable with Fresno City Council, District 1 representative, Anna Lisa Perea. It was to discuss a potential grant she was pursuing for improvements to the Van Ness Village.

Brooke at the Fresno Pride Parade in 2024

We were made aware that a demographic study showed that our area was underserved and that would help us in pursuing potential grant funding. Arthur Robinson, a Tower District Advocate and Artist, first stated that he knew that what he was about to say wouldn’t be solved by what we were all gathered to talk about, but that if we were so underserved, why didn’t we have a library. I was immediately hit by this idea.

KRL: When and how did this movement begin?

Brooke: It began the day after the Van Vess Village Business Roundtable. I sat down and started making phone calls.

KRL: What is its official name?

Brooke: I have called it the Tower District Library Project, but it’s not an official Fresno County or Fresno County Public Library project.

KRL: Why do you feel that it is important for the Tower District to have its own branch of the library?

Brooke: The list is rather long and my husband, Derek Payton, who made me the website TowerLibrary.org created a visually appealing list on it. What I want is for the Tower District Community to have all the resources that a Fresno County Public Library provides. A library means books, DVDs, CDs, video games, computers, Wi-Fi, supplemental education opportunities for every age, a heating and cooling space, a community space, a safe space.

KRL: Where is the nearest branch at this time?

Brooke: We are kind of sandwiched between the Gillis Branch Library and the Fresno County Public Library, which most people call the Central Branch Library.

KRL: What progress has been made, if any, toward this?

Brooke: I would have to say the website is the best place to track progress. There are links to the businesses and organizations that have shown support either by hosting events or drafting letters of support. The organization that has shown me an immense amount of support is the South Tower Community Land Trust.

In 2023, their Board voted to become my fiduciary sponsor. I have been taken under their 501(c)3 umbrella. Their Executive Director, Kiel Lopez-Schmidt, also holds regular check-in meetings with me that I greatly appreciate the guidance of. What’s not on the website is the work that I did with the Tower District Specific Plan Implementation Committee. The Tower District Specific Plan Rough Draft is now in the hands of the Fresno City Council.

Over the course of 2025 there will be an ecological survey done before the plan is finalized. In Chapter 4 of the rough draft there is a Policy for a Tower District Library Branch. Now, the City of Fresno cannot tell the County of Fresno to create a library. However, by approving the library policy in the final draft, the City of Fresno will have officially supported the Tower District’s plans for a Fresno County Public Library.

KRL: What can people do to help?

Brooke: I still need people to visit the website, sign the petition, and take the survey. I appreciate donations of any amount to the Tower District Library fund. Specifically, I need volunteers to attend meetings that I may not be able to always attend due to my personal schedule. Those meetings are Tower District Specific Plan Implementation Committee meetings, Friends of the Library main board meetings, and the Fresno County Public Library’s Measure B Citizens Review Panel meetings. I also need help with managing the social media accounts for the Tower District Library Advocacy.

KRL: Do you have thoughts on a location for the branch?

Brooke: I have ideas in my wildest dreams, but in all honesty, I know that by the time this project gets officially approved and underway, any of those locations may not be available or viable anymore. It really is too soon to make any real decisions about locations.

KRL: Have you met with the County about this and if so, do they seem interested?

San Joaquin Valley Bookfest

Brooke: I did talk about this quite a bit with Sal Quintero in 2023. He supported my efforts and had a few asks of me, such as a showing of community support, which is why I still need signatures on the petition. However, 2024 was more about focusing on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors election in March and the runoff election in November for the District 3, Fresno County Board Supervisor seat. I hope to begin speaking to Luis Chavez this year as he moves from the Fresno City Council to the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. I need to know what his asks of me are.

KRL: Where can people go to get more information about this?

Brooke: I am at Root Access every first Thursday of the month for Art Hop. That is my most consistent in person availability. However, emailing me through the contact button on the website works really well too. I love scheduling meetings at Component Coffee in the Tower District when I get a chance.

KRL: Any events or fundraisers coming up?

Brooke at TDL’s 1 year anniversary

Brooke: Honestly, I don’t have anything on the calendar yet for 2025. I had the Tower District Library Brainstorm Mixer last month. There were suggestions for a Books and Baked Goods fundraiser that I would love to plan. I’m a fan of both of those things, so I think it would be fun. Not having anything concrete on the calendar yet also means that the year has a lot of potential.

KRL: Anything else you would like to add?

Brooke: I just want a Public Library in the Tower District. I can’t say it any other way and I won’t stop saying it until the doors open.

Lorie Lewis Ham is our Editor-in-Chief and a contributor to various sections, coupling her journalism experience with her connection to the literary and entertainment worlds. Explore Lorie’s mystery writing at Mysteryrat’s Closet. Lorie’s latest mystery novel, One of Us, is set in the Tower District of Fresno and the world of community theatre!

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