In Defense of a Library Tax-
Words have power. Take for example the use of numbers to persuade: “100% INCREASE!!” That sounds horrible, especially in this climate; who can in good conscience give double? That seems wildly irresponsible if you don’t understand how numbers and words work.
What is 100%? For many in our community it’s $55.00 per year* or less.
Just over $1 a week. I am not going to guess how you budget, I know how I budget. For me it is a no brainer.
Let’s discuss instead what you get for your investment and when.
You get an immediate return on investment: the ability to have new books, old books (like old friends), audiobooks, movies, games, appliances, training kits and more.
You have spaces to gather or to be alone. Computers to research or work on self-improvement, and printers to prepare your resumes, recipes or writing samples for college or submissions to magazines and journals.
If you don’t want to go into the library you can download digital resources like Libby, Mango or Kanopy to name a few and immediately access resources around the world anchored at your local library.
Feel like learning a new skill and don’t know where to start? Try a class at the local library! Home school group meeting? Grassroots group getting off the ground? Local not-for-profit training or gathering? New program starting in the community? Need a birthday space in a friendly environment? Want to game with friends?
There is no other space in a community where it is the mission of every employee there to help each individual discover the resources to help them become the best version of who they are. Ask any adult who was a child haunting the library through their formative years and they will tell you that no one understood like the librarian, and no place felt as safe as the local library.
Dormann Library is not the library my mom grew up with. It’s not the library I grew up with. And thank goodness for that! It has grown into a beautiful institution worthy of every dollar requested to remain a vital hub in this community.
Come out on June 2nd and see for yourself what the library has to offer.
-Jennie L. Knox, MSEd
*”$55 per year” is the assessed tax impact increase for a property valued at $100,000. According to census data, the median value of owner occupied housing units in Bath is $106,400. For such a home, this brings the estimated proposed increase to $58.52 for the typical owner-occupied property.