EDITOR:

For about two years I had the pleasure of being employed by the Escanaba Public Library. During my time there, I saw first hand the value that the library gave to the community it served. I watched people use the computers and internet access to find jobs, do schoolwork, and connect with family members. I helped cancer patients find books and websites that empowered them to make difficult decisions. I watched families bond over books and struggling teens find a safe place to decompress. It was a safe place for the seeking, lonely, and confused. It was a bright spot for the curious. It was freedom for those who had none. Even though it has been a few years, I still see patrons that I knew around town and they still remember my name.

When I found out about the proposed 40% cut to the library budget I was fairly upset but not surprised – unfortunately, libraries tend to be one of the first services cut when budgets need tightening up.

This is a huge mistake and one that I hope the city does not make. Studies have shown over and over again that libraries are an important aspect of community life and that services like libraries are contributing factors for families moving into towns. Beyond this, libraries are one of the last free gathering places for people and a great protector for the freedom of speech.

Frankly, I could write a novel on the importance of libraries but here is the short and sweet of it all- libraries matter because people matter. Libraries matter because ideas matter. Libraries matter in a way that cannot be monetized. If you cut funding to the library you are cutting this community down at the knees.

I am not only asking the City to rethink this decision but for the community as a whole to support our library and speak up about this cut. Libraries were created because our forefathers believed that freedom of knowledge and the sharing of ideas were important. We can still prove that point correct. Our voices and opinions on this subject matter. It’s time to speak up.

Brianna Ecklid

Gladstone