Letter: How Do You Really Feel About The Library? An Open Letter To Richard Morse
Photo:snappygoat.com
Dear Rich,
On December 5th you wrote in a comment to The Indy lamenting the lack of disagreement in the pages of the Indy. I agree with you. (You also almost complimented the news stories, and I almost agree with you there, too. I would be interested to know what you think the news writers miss.)
But I think you missed an opportunity. Your comment was attached to an opinion piece about the Jones Library. Instead of disagreeing with the commentary though, you wrote about the lack of disagreement. I’m giving you another chance. In my most recent commentary (“Rethinking the Jones Library”), my last sentence actually pleads for disagreement. I know you and I disagree about the library project. Why not keep the conversation going? I have always profited from your opinions, whether or not I agree with them. Let’s disagree in public so the town can profit from them.
Michael Greenebaum
Michael Greenebaum was principal of Mark’s Meadow School from 1970-1991 and from 1974 taught Organization Studies in the Higher Education Center at the UMass School of Education. He served in Town Meeting from 1992, was on the first Charter Commission in 1993 and served on several town committees, including Town Commercial Relations Committee and the Long Range Planning Committee.
At the risk of joining this fray I will support the perception that there appears to be unanimity among a very vocal group of people writing and editing the Indy who, from what I can tell by the roster, have been very loud opponents of the library project for many years. I am excited to see the Indy in action – I love all the local news and information. Thank you all for making it happen. My worry is that those (like myself) who very much see the need for a new library building (which has to meet state requirements for size and resources to get state funding – funding that is based on creating equity across the state as communities overwhelmingly recognize the need modern libraries fill for our kids and communities) will not engage in conversation here because this forum, by its make-up, is so biased against this project. As I said in an earlier comment, this project is not going to go away. If we don’t address this now or, as has been done in the past, do it halfway (which will likely cost nearly as much as doing it to state standards because we’ll lose the state funding) we will kick it down to next generations, our children won’t see the benefits. and Amherst will be making another statement that, despite our reputation for upholding the highest standards for education and equitable quality of life, that’s not actually who we are as a community.
Nina, welcome to the fray! I hope that you will feel it a risk worth taking. What folks biased in favor of the library project and those opposed to it share is a love of the library, a commitment to its centrality to the culture and well-being of Amherst, and a strong desire for its physical improvement. With all that in common we should be able to address our differences constructively, usefully and respectfully.
I won’t repeat the many points I have made in earlier commentaries, but I will summarize where you and I differ. I don’t want a larger building on Amity Street. I don’t oppose more space per se, but not if it disfigures the human scale and green spaces currently there. Getting state funding is not necessary if it requires such an extravagant increase. Doing it smaller or elsewhere is not doing it halfway. I don’t see the connection between equitable quality and size; I wish you would elaborate on this. “State standards” have to do with square feet, a rather bizarre metric for standards. Compared to other communities our size, Amherst is a library-rich town, with university, college and town libraries all available to town residents.
While it is not so important, I think you are incorrect in thinking that those of us who oppose the project necessarily agree with one another about everything. We don’t. I don’t have the commitment to the current building that many others have. I have been flogging an alternative site for the circulating collections (to be shared with the Senior Center); no one else seems interested. My principal objection is to the despoilment of the streetscape, sky scape and green space on the north side of Amity Street. My opposition to this project is of a piece with my opposition to the urbanization of downtown.
I truly welcome your writing and hope that you might be encouraged to continue.
Best,
Michael