The Schulenburg Public Library received a $6,000 grant from the Tocker Foundation.

The Tocker Foundation was established in 1964 to implement the philanthropic interests of Phillip and Olive Tocker.  Phillip Tocker was a practicing attorney, but changed careers in his later years by purchasing the Waco outdoor advertising plant.  The family business was destroyed in the 1953 Waco tornado.  The family rebuilt and the business survived.  Phillip Tocker’s vocational career culminated to the position of President of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America.  After retiring, Phillip and Olive Tocker actively pursued their avocations. Phillip and Olive Tocker endowed the Foundation with their estates in 1994 and 1993 respectively.

In 1992 the Foundation board decided to focus grant distribution to small rural libraries serving a population of 12,000 or less.  The direction is to assist libraries in making services more accessible to individuals who by reason of distance, residence, handicap, age, literacy level or other disadvantage are unable to receive the benefits of public library services.   Grants are distributed to assisting libraries to serve as community centers, information resources and provide literacy and bilingual programs.  The Foundation partners with community libraries to meet the particular needs of the community.

The Foundation board members are Mr. Terry Tocker (Chair), Mrs. Donna Tocker (Vice Chair), Mr. Darryl Tocker (Executive Director), Mrs. Natalie Tocker, Mrs. Laura Tocker, Ms. Rachel Tocker, Mr. Ethan Tocker, Ms. Dayna Williams, Ms. Debbie Garza and Mr. Mark Smith.  Grant applications are evaluated by a permanent committee of the Texas Library Association.  Over the past years the board members have seen inroads made towards library automation, digitization of historical documents and computer access.  Grants have been extended for outreach and “shut-in” programs, enhancement of services, adult reading classes, after school projects, bilingual material and many other projects initiated by the community public library.  We look forward to serving in this direction for many years.

The Tocker Foundation Promotes Texas public libraries in communities of 12,000 or less.  This grant brings the cumulative grant support to the Schulenburg Public Library to a total of $107,580.