City shouldn't put library expansion on the shelf

Dewey decimal disaster

On One Hand, by James Milne

Rejection of the library expansion was not only a disgrace but it gives the voters a clue as to who should hold an elected office. Our libraries are too small, ill stocked and have impossible hours and services while at the same time we want to build bigger jails for lost and lonely people who like to read.

By the time a person gets home at night and on the weekends our libraries are shut down. Even when they are open they don't have enough variety of periodicals and some of the more in-demand books and other materials. Even the college library has lousy hours and even the students need to go elsewhere for reference materials.

Just give me one good reason why we should not support the library, expand it and re-stock it every year or when the demand dictates it. Our schools don't have text books so they need the library for assistance, whatever books and information is needed by our school students are stolen from the publishers by illegally duplicating sheets and not paying either the authors or the publishers, and one of these days we will be taken to court and fined big time. It's not the fault of the teachers but that of the board of education, and it should be corrected in next year's budget. Our first priority in the Valley should be our kids, books and good teachers -- if the teachers want to be professional why do they tolerate being replaced when they are sick by anyone off the street with little or no training at half salary? What kind of union is this? If the NEA and the AEA are really teacher's unions why not say so and have policies that protect kids as well as teachers? Check over anyone running for office and who fails to show up for our important decision-making meetings and dump them when they run for office. Our Valley, last legislative session, missed more roll calls than any other part of the state, such information is available by calling your local legislative office "be there or stay home all together." I, for one, would welcome a little boost in our tax base if we can be sure the money goes for kids, for books and a better expanded library.

James Milne is a Palmer resident.