A bookmobile that would venture to the border towns never really caught on, McGeehee said, but the idea of a permanent facility is getting a lot of support.

"We have a lot of people very excited about it in the community," Colgrove said.

To become part of the Mohave County Library District, the friends of the Colorado City library group would have to sign a deal that they abide by county policies — including no censorship of any reading materials.

"It's a parent's job to censor what their children read," Colgrove said. "If you're a good parent, you'll know what your child reads. That's your job."

Signing on to the county library system will also enable the Hildale/Colorado City library to get access to online services, interlibrary book loans and children's story programming. Colgrove said Mohave County residents are already paying a library tax — with the nearest county libraries several hours away.

"The people up where we live have been paying the tax and their money's been going down to Bullhead and Kingman," she said.

Questions

The library is on Monday's consent agenda to include in next year's county budget. But Mohave County Supervisor Buster Johnson has some reservations.

"I'm not supporting any polygamist activity, I can tell you that," he told the Deseret News.

Johnson has not made up his mind if he will vote for or against the library. He said money is tight, and he worries about duplication of services with a pair of school libraries nearby.

Johnson, an outspoken critic of polygamy, also worried about FLDS influence on the library and the part-time employee Mohave County would pay for.

"You've gotta watch that whoever's there is not another long arm of the prophet's work," he said.

McGeehee said the flood of community donations has made the library less expensive to fund. Gas prices make a reinvigorated bookmobile service almost impractical.

"They have the building," she said. "They are offering that building, which is why it's such a good deal for the county."

The cloistered FLDS community may be warming up to the idea of a public library. Colgrove said she approached the Colorado City Council, made up entirely of FLDS members, with her library idea.

"I didn't have any negative reaction," she said. "They could have said, 'We won't allow that in the city.' They said, 'Thank you for letting us know. Thanks for coming in and sharing."'

Colgrove said there are so many benefits to a library, she doesn't see anyone shunning it. Regardless of what happens, McGeehee said she believes the library will open.

"They're very driven," she said of Colgrove and the friends of the library group.

Colgrove said the library's success will be because of its many supporters.

"I'm so amazed at people from different cultures," she said. "They may not approve that this is a polygamous community, but they've stepped up and lent a helping hand. It's wonderful."

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E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com