LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Letter to the Editor: On Tuesday, August 20, some colleagues and I sat in on a meeting of the Clark County Executive Committee of the Board of Supervisors when they discussed library funding for 2025. There were some questions about why people who don’t use libraries had to pay taxes for them. I want to offer some insights on that subject. So, I give you the following: Top 5 reasons for non-library users to support libraries: 1. Libraries are there for when you need them. Our municipalities offer many services that we don’t all regularly use. For example, we don’t necessarily drive down every road in our county. But if we need to get someplace, we expect a well-maintained road to take us there. We hope we don’t have to dial 911 but are thankful to see responders if we do. Your next-door neighbor may never have set foot in the library until she finds herself laid off from her job. Suddenly, she needs to file for unemployment, create a resume, and apply for jobs. Where does she go? To the library, of course.
2. Libraries help the economy. In their 2008 State of America’s Libraries report, the American Library Association found that “New studies provide solid evidence that the nation’s public libraries are engines of economic growth, contributing to local development through programming in early literacy, employment services and small-business development.”
3. Libraries offer community members access to computers, the internet, and Wi-Fi. In most locations, people can get a library’s Wi-Fi connection in the parking lot or on the street. No need to enter the building. There are still areas of the county where reliable internet service is not available and connection to the internet is essential in the modern world.
4. Libraries offer programs that can draw more people into the community. This summer, the 10 Clark County Libraries offered a Passport program. People came to visit our libraries, ask questions, enjoy our hospitality, and win prizes. The program was planned by Colby library director Vicky Calmes. The visitors checked out library materials but they also stopped at our stores, gas stations, and cafes. Anyone can appreciate a library when they draw extra business your way.
5. Libraries add value to neighborhoods. Kelly Banks wrote in “The Role Libraries Play in Economic Development” (Press Reader, October 19, 2021) “…libraries are often associated with access to an enhanced quality of life. Studies show that libraries are perceived to contribute to the safety and stability of a neighborhood. These good vibes aren’t just felt by residents. In fact, when a library is located in a commercial district, there’s also a so-called “halo effect” of spending at nearby establishments.” Considering these points, Clark County is lucky to have 10 libraries within its boundaries. It only makes sense to fund them at 100% of the cost of township use. If not that, then at least at the 85% the county board agreed upon in 2023.
Loralee Petersen Owen Public Library Director
