Letter: There Are Less Costly Alternatives To Jones Expansion
Photo: pixabay.com. Public domain.
from Carol L. Dick
The proposed renovated/expanded Jones Library is designed for 50,000 users, but only 20,000 people hold library cards. Instead of the proposed expansion, existing space could be used more efficiently. There are many locked rooms, and we could cull some novels, such as the stacks full of westerns.
Current trends are toward needing less space with digital materials. With less office space we could meet community needs. In addition, there are many other libraries and spaces in town.
As for the cost, the Jones is only one of four major capital projects.
Carol L. Dick
Carol L. Dick is a resident of Amherst
I agree 100% with Carol L. Dick.
My family of 4 goes to the library frequently, and even more before COVID. We have 1 library card. Children under 5 can not get their own cards. Our library staff, particularly the children’s room staff, go out of their way to put on amazing events – concerts, clubs, star wars and harry potter days. Those events draw in people from neighboring towns, who may not have library cards but who come to Amherst and often get coffee, lunch, or dinner in town as a result. This is good for Amherst and our community. It seems very reasonable to me that while we may only have 20,000 library cards in circulate, we have many more visitors.
What would be even better for “our community” would be if: “our children” could receive their elementary education in a “safe” environment; those responsible for “our” infrastructure (do you like having clean flowing water?) could do likewise (visit the DPW early 20th century headquarters where workers share road-side salvaged desks in a garage that has a leaking roof and no heat or air conditioning); and our EMS/Fire services could, at least, park their “necessary” vehicles in a 21st century building that allowed for it.
We all support, if not love, libraries, but let’s get real with prioritizing. Seriously? You love the Jones and, apparently, it has served you well. But, why is not updating the core, tax supported, “needs” of a community…schools, infrastructure and public safety, as important as having a tourist attraction?
We need and can afford all these project. I support all four capital projects. I obviously wish we could have done the library and the school sooner so they didn’t come all at once. I hope we don’t repeat our mistakes of the past with this vote. Let’s be serious, we also need people to come to our town and spend money so we can have businesses that can pay taxes and help reduce the burden on individuals.
Ms Drucker,
Respectfully, I disagree that we need all four capital projects. And, to state that we can afford all of them directly contradicts your last statement about the current burden on individuals. Even the powers that be have admitted that to do all four would require a tax override, which means our taxes (burden) will increase. I have heard for decades about needing more businesses downtown to add to our tax base. Yet, there are fewer now than in the many, many years that I have lived here and, I assure you, that has nothing to do with the condition of the Jones Library.