KANSAS CITY, Kan. - I grew up two blocks from my small town's public library. The Independent Township Library, to be exact.
I always wondered why the library had such a strange name, not knowing the history of townships in our state or why they were formed, way back when. At any rate, I would stagger home with my arms full of books from the time I could read.
By the time I graduated from high school, I had read every book in the building, plus hundreds more that the interlibrary loan van would bring every couple of weeks. I taught story time to 3-year-olds, and led the summer reading program.
The library was my window to the world, and through its treasures it made me realize that the world was a big place with a lot of opportunities.
When I was in college, the campus library at Washburn University was my home away from home. I loved studying there in the brightly lit, quiet spaces. When I moved to Kansas City, Kansas, I was able to become involved in Friends of the Library and headed up its book sale for several years. Later I chaired the Wyandotte County Library Board, which oversees the tax revenue levied in parts of Wyandotte County. All along the way, I've been a strong patron of the library system. As internet service has improved, it's nearly a miracle that a person can request a specific print book or audio book and have it delivered to the library branch of your choice within a few days.
Over the years, libraries have become much more than places to check out books. They have evolved to meet the needs of their customers through establishing computer labs and book clubs, teen comic book writing sessions and Wii contests. They also host hundreds of programs in Kansas each year, many provided by the Kansas Humanities Council. Through serving on KHC's board of directors, I know the demand for library books, videos, audio books, and programming (including help with writing resumes and job hunting) has increased severalfold over the past two years, as the recession has hit families hard. Libraries provide nearly all of their services free of charge. In these tough economic times, you can't beat that price, especially when the quality is so high.
But libraries need support, too. Book prices continue to increase, and many libraries have had to cut back on magazine and newspaper subscriptions. Tax levies that support libraries don't bring in as much as they did a few years ago, when times were better. And demand for services continues to increase. In Wyandotte County, a group of citizens is working to raise funds to move a library branch that has outgrown its space to a larger location. It's a tough time to raise money, but the need is definitely there. (If you'd like to help, contact me at sharilea51@gmail.com.)
The Independent Township Library in Claflin has moved to a larger, newer building since I was a kid. But regardless of its location, it still provides the same vital service to a town full of people dreaming big dreams. Ditto for the thousands of libraries in Kansas and all over the country. Lend your support if you can.
Nice article. The beauty of advocating for libraries is that it just makes sense. With the state of Kansas pushing more content and services into an online environment, libraries are also starting to fill that vital role of intermediary between citizen and government.