MY TURN: Library budget and property taxes

Library Trustee Hanley asked the question, “What is the core mission of the CLN?”

Apparently, he hasn’t found the time to visit the Community Library Network’s website or look at the top of the numerous agendas for the regular and special meetings they’ve had over the last month. The mission is published prominently in both places. The mission of the CLN is to "empower discovery." The bigger question is why would someone who doesn’t know the purpose or the mission of an institution run for office to lead that institution?

Mr. Hanley alluded to libraries not being an “essential government service” like roads, police and fire departments. He fails to recognize many of our libraries pre-date our police, fire departments and even roads.

America’s first lending library was started in 1778 — America’s first police department was started in 1884. Our founding fathers thought libraries were essential enough to start them themselves, but it took over 100 years — after all our founding fathers were dead and buried — to see the first police department.

The Harrison Library is 118 years old. In the 1917 fire, residents of Harrison rallied to protect it from the devastating blaze that took 40 businesses, four churches, two halls and 23 homes. That is how much the library in that community is valued. Harrison joined the library district in 1994 with the understanding that their library would be honored and protected.

The Post Falls Library was started 113 years ago by Annie Patterson and a group of women who called themselves the “Progressive Study Group.” During the Great Depression, the Post Falls Library moved to occupy the building that used to house the local bank. Author Anne Herbert penned, “Libraries will get you through times of no money better than times of no money will get you through times of no libraries.” We proved it then; we can prove it again now. Post Falls joined the library district in 2010. When residents of Post Falls voted to have what many valued as their most precious and very well-funded resource join the district, no one thought it would be under threat. Trustee Hanley wouldn’t know that, because he hasn’t lived here that long and didn’t pay attention to what libraries did before the culture war inspired him into becoming a trustee.

All our library locations have a rich history that illustrates their essential nature for the communities they serve. The need to fund that essential nature and honor the trust of the people in our communities is vital.

Trustee Hanley is right about one thing: Libraries were “traditionally" a place that provided information assistance, encouraged literacy and procured and lent books for research and entertainment.

When our libraries started 118 years ago, that is exactly what they did.

They still do that.

However, times change and libraries, as a reflection of culture and community needs, change, too.

I encourage Mr. Hanley, and all the library trustees, to ask just how many people use the internet or computers at the Community Library Network each month. They should ask how many CDs, DVDs and “Things” are borrowed and how many people attended library programs. They should know how many downloaded songs, books and audiobooks are used. Then, they need to think about all those items, resources and programs — beyond books — and know that there is a face of one of their constituents using it to discover who they are, learn a new skill, affirm their identity, or inspire their future actions. None of these items were around 35 years ago, many of them are new in the last decade.

Should trustees question the roles of the institutions they are serving? Yes, they should. But that questioning should be informed by an understanding of what the institution is, the history behind it, its place in the community and general knowledge of similar institutions in the surrounding areas. If library trustees take an honest objective look at those things, they will understand that libraries aren’t “traditional” anymore — and they shouldn’t be.

Nathan A. Hansen is a resident of Post Falls and the author of "Unintentional Librarian." He is an employee of the Community Library Network. This is his personal opinion and not the opinion of the library district.