I met Sam Gribley during the first time I ever went to a library. Sam was living in a hallowed-out tree. I stumbled upon him while I was sitting on the floor in the middle of the row. His falcon was nearby, and I thought it was so cool he had such a great friend that could fly.
Sam taught me that being alone is ok; that going a place to be in my own thoughts could actually save my soul; heck he taught me about having a soul.
We became best friends, and he taught me plenty of life lessons.
Sam was the main character in "My side of the Mountain," a book I serendipitously picked up in my local library and started to read.
As I read it for the first time I left the walls of the library and found a world I wouldn’t otherwise explore.
Magic.
My local library gave me a place to discover me.
So recently with the closing of a local library branch and the local municipalities and county dropping much, if not all of their support it has me wondering about that kid who met a friend for life by finding a book and finding his imagination.
We devalue discovery of self; we devalue exploration of ideas; we devalue opening our worlds to things we do not know of or understand. And we devalue the notion that there is that kid that truly needs a place to discover who they are and what might be capable of them in the future.
This is a growing problem in society. Yes, we have access to more information at our fingertips than at any other time in history. But it is guided often by salesmen who have geared algorithms to get us to what they want us to discover.
Shelves of books in libraries have no agenda.
They are information just sitting there waiting for people to serendipitously, or through research, to find - often opening up the world a bit more for the readers.
This week’s announcement of the closure of the Cooperstown Library in Venango County means that opportunity is about to become more difficult for some people.
The public library system is not a luxury. It is a necessity. It is education. It is exploration. It is among the foundation of a thriving society. It saves quiet lives that just need a means to understand the world.
It was unfortunate these past few months reading so many comments about how people who don't use the library do not still see the value it has to a community. I understand we are tired of paying more and more for things, but what things are we losing and how is that going effect our future?
During the months and weeks leading up to a vote on a possible dedicate tax for the library, there was a lot of conversation and unfortunately a lot of misinformation and scare tactics about the costs to each household.
The referendum failed and the library association was left trying to determine their next steps.
Then earlier this week, the Venango County commissioners passed a budget that included no support for the library.The next day by the Oil Region Library Association’s announced the closing of the Cooperstown facility.
"Had we won the measure(the tax referendum) we would have never closed," said Dan Flaherty, executive director of the ORLA. "We would have invested further in Cooperstown plus bringing more services to all the rural area through a bookmobile."
But now without the dedicated tax funds, that isn't a possibility, and they have one less place for these resources to serve a community.
A sad turn of events and one the ORLA warned would occur.
Among the chief reasons people listed in not support the tax referendum was something to the effect of “I don’t go there so why should my tax money support it.” I can't help but think of all the roads I don't use that my taxes go to help maintain, or that I have never had a fire at my house, or a burglar break into my house, so I don't need the fire or police departments, so maybe I don't want my taxes going to them even though I read in the paper others needed them recently.
Lack of stable financial support for the library means there are likely more hard times ahead for ORLA and therefore our entire community.
I must admit that I don’t take advantage of the library and its selves of books or other services as much as I would like or should. But even if I never set foot on a library again or borrow another book, I will carry an endless appreciation for what the existence of the public library system has had in my life and for my community. I will revel in knowing there is another kid struggling to find his voice who might just find it in a random book they sit and read in a safe place. Maybe they too will meet Sam Gribley and imagine sitting with him in his hallowed tree out in the woods.
Certainly sounds like a great idea to me.
Sam taught me that being alone is ok; that going a place to be in my own thoughts could actually save my soul; heck he taught me about having a soul.
We became best friends, and he taught me plenty of life lessons.
Sam was the main character in "My side of the Mountain," a book I serendipitously picked up in my local library and started to read.
As I read it for the first time I left the walls of the library and found a world I wouldn’t otherwise explore.
Magic.
My local library gave me a place to discover me.
So recently with the closing of a local library branch and the local municipalities and county dropping much, if not all of their support it has me wondering about that kid who met a friend for life by finding a book and finding his imagination.
We devalue discovery of self; we devalue exploration of ideas; we devalue opening our worlds to things we do not know of or understand. And we devalue the notion that there is that kid that truly needs a place to discover who they are and what might be capable of them in the future.
This is a growing problem in society. Yes, we have access to more information at our fingertips than at any other time in history. But it is guided often by salesmen who have geared algorithms to get us to what they want us to discover.
Shelves of books in libraries have no agenda.
They are information just sitting there waiting for people to serendipitously, or through research, to find - often opening up the world a bit more for the readers.
This week’s announcement of the closure of the Cooperstown Library in Venango County means that opportunity is about to become more difficult for some people.
The public library system is not a luxury. It is a necessity. It is education. It is exploration. It is among the foundation of a thriving society. It saves quiet lives that just need a means to understand the world.
It was unfortunate these past few months reading so many comments about how people who don't use the library do not still see the value it has to a community. I understand we are tired of paying more and more for things, but what things are we losing and how is that going effect our future?
During the months and weeks leading up to a vote on a possible dedicate tax for the library, there was a lot of conversation and unfortunately a lot of misinformation and scare tactics about the costs to each household.
The referendum failed and the library association was left trying to determine their next steps.
Then earlier this week, the Venango County commissioners passed a budget that included no support for the library.The next day by the Oil Region Library Association’s announced the closing of the Cooperstown facility.
"Had we won the measure(the tax referendum) we would have never closed," said Dan Flaherty, executive director of the ORLA. "We would have invested further in Cooperstown plus bringing more services to all the rural area through a bookmobile."
But now without the dedicated tax funds, that isn't a possibility, and they have one less place for these resources to serve a community.
A sad turn of events and one the ORLA warned would occur.
Among the chief reasons people listed in not support the tax referendum was something to the effect of “I don’t go there so why should my tax money support it.” I can't help but think of all the roads I don't use that my taxes go to help maintain, or that I have never had a fire at my house, or a burglar break into my house, so I don't need the fire or police departments, so maybe I don't want my taxes going to them even though I read in the paper others needed them recently.
Lack of stable financial support for the library means there are likely more hard times ahead for ORLA and therefore our entire community.
I must admit that I don’t take advantage of the library and its selves of books or other services as much as I would like or should. But even if I never set foot on a library again or borrow another book, I will carry an endless appreciation for what the existence of the public library system has had in my life and for my community. I will revel in knowing there is another kid struggling to find his voice who might just find it in a random book they sit and read in a safe place. Maybe they too will meet Sam Gribley and imagine sitting with him in his hallowed tree out in the woods.
Certainly sounds like a great idea to me.
Editor's note: This is what hopes to be the first in a series of op/eds on the library system and its future.
We welcome letters to the editor on this subject. They can be emailed to [email protected] for our consideration.
We welcome letters to the editor on this subject. They can be emailed to [email protected] for our consideration.
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