Library a bargain and an adventure
I was sorry to read the letter from the gentleman who feels that libraries are a waste of tax dollars. Perhaps he hasn’t had a chance to visit a library recently or doesn’t have access to one like Elgin’s Gail Borden Library.
If you prefer it and can afford it, there is nothing wrong with downloading a book or reading material online, but libraries are so much more than warehouses for books and web access. Gail Borden and its capable staff offer many programs of interest to all ages, and they can help you start hunting for a job or your ancestors.
If you need to recharge your hope for the country’s future, just stand near the front door and watch the young people leaving with their piles of books and other media. The library offers too many opportunities for learning and entertainment to list here, but I think that one of my visits from earlier this year illustrates the value it contributes to the community.
It was about 10 a.m. on a Saturday, and the parking lot was almost full. The level of activity around the library suggested that I’d find a festival of some kind inside. A nice dog and human companion were among those looking forward to their day at the library, and a little girl was making friends with them. The volunteer at the front desk told me that there was a family tea party going on (not the political kind), that children would be reading stories to dogs a little later, and that tax advice was available in one of the meeting rooms.
I made my way to the second floor to look for two books and noticed that several small study rooms were in use, possibly by Literacy Connection tutors and students. After finding the books I wanted and browsing a bit more, I checked out four books and left with a few extra kilowatts of positive energy.
Back to the subject of taxes — our tax bill shows that the amount allocated for the library in 2010 was less than 4 percent of the total. It was also less than one-eighth of what our household spends on coffee. A visit to the library is always an adventure, and we should consider it a bargain.
Kathy Sutton
Elgin