Archive: Opinions

How sad to imagine the closing of the Lansing Library, leaving the Lansing community as the only town in Tompkins County without its own library. Local libraries stand as a central hub of a community, essential to the functioning of an educated democracy. Imagine no children's summer reading program (141 kids participated last summer), no adult programs (fly fishing, gardening, finances, sports), no local art show by our students and residents, no free wireless access for all.
 

Perhaps the saddest part of this would be that Lansing residents would no longer have access to the over 12,500 books and 2,600 DVDs, videos and talking books owned by the Lansing Library for use by all the residents of Lansing, young and old, mystery readers and non-fiction buffs. In addition, as members of the Finger Lakes Library System, Lansing Library cardholders have free access to books from any of the 33 libraries in the system. Interlibrary loans increased by 50% in April 2009 alone.

 

Historically library use increases in hard economic times. The statistics for Lansing Library have shown an increase in all areas of library use for every month of 2009. If Dan Pace's resolution succeeds in closing the library, New York is obligated by State Law to repossess all of Lansing Library's holdings, computers, equipment, and library furniture and redistribute it to the other libraries in the system. The doors will be locked and a light will go out in Lansing.

 

Vote NO on May 19th. Don't abolish our library. Everyone deserves to grow up with and grow old with a library.

From: Melissa Stephenson

 

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