We are both members of the Friends of the Vancouver Mall Library; however, we don’t represent that body and this is strictly our commentary.
In addition to the reduction of space, staff and hours in our Mall library, the Board of Trustees is contemplating elimination of the programming. These include the weekly Story Time for children, the Creature Feature program, the Evergreen Air and Space programs, as well as other children’s programs. In addition, there will no longer be any reference materials available in the Mall location. The future of the foreign language books, which are heavily utilized in this location, is up in the air. Groups who use the library in the evenings will probably no longer be able to meet there.
No public input was allowed before the board made these decisions, and it’s a shame, because the people who will be hurt are the parents and children this branch serves, the dedicated staff who are treasures in their own right, and finally, those members of the public who are elderly or who cannot hop into their cars to go downtown or who were just looking for a place to sit, browse the shelves, and maybe settle down with a good read in a lovely welcoming space.
Terri and Larry Dorr
Vancouver
