To the editor:
I was pleased to see the successful renewal levy for the Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County. I was not pleased to see the close vote.
I was raised in Follansbee and my mother would routinely bring us across the river to the downtown library. She believed there was a whole world to discover and imagine while reading books. The building itself was magical to us. The stone steps leading to the main entrance seemed huge and the stairway outside leading down to the kids' section felt secretive and special as a child -- a magical place that was open to everyone.
I eventually took my own children to the Schiappa Branch and the downtown libraries. We attended a million Storyhours, looked for DVDs, audiotapes and puzzles, did research for school projects, picked out and brought home sometimes 20 books at a time, and made friends with kids and adults.
A library is a unique place. It provides a free and open space for all of us. Our beliefs might differ in many ways but the public library is not a place that judges us. We should all be grateful for that, especially now when so many things seek to divide us.
The idea that members of this community would penalize a cherished public institution because some books are not to their liking seems misguided. By wanting to withhold funding, they seek to punish the rest of the community who may think differently.
Libraries exist to encompass the whole world of ideas. I strongly believe we should not be afraid of ideas, uncomfortable as they may sometimes feel.
I support our library. I sincerely hope this good community continues to do the same. We're lucky to have it.
Lynne Baird
Steubenville