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Editor, News-Register:
For decades, many bibliographic pessimists have declared that "Libraries are dead" or more tongue-in-cheekily observed that libraries and librarians are experiencing "Death by a thousand paper cuts!"
However, in January of this year, Beth Prindle, the director of research and special collections at the Boston Public Library, emphatically stated, "All (those) who said books are dead or libraries are dead have not stepped foot in a public library in a very long time."
Indeed, it's easy to see by visiting our local Ohio County Public Library (OCPL) that libraries in West Virginia's Northern Panhandle are alive and well!
The OCPL is alive with children playing on the floor, listening attentively to story hours, concocting experiments in a Fun Lab, or creatively participating in play activities.
OCPL is alive with scores of local citizens weekly attending and participating in Lunch With Books programs featuring writers, performers, historians, animals, and even your next-door neighbor.
OCPL is alive in celebrating the arts by hosting exhibitions, installing murals and artworks, and offering programs that explore and celebrate all aspects of artistic endeavors.
OCPL is alive with folks exploring their genealogical roots, finding the history of their residences, delving into historical factfinding, and documenting the extraordinary narratives related to past and present residents.
OCPL is alive with assisting citizens with critical services such as finding a job, processing legal documents, becoming computer literate, and navigating nontraditional information sources.
OCPL is alive with the provision of resources and services to teachers and students in our school systems -- assisting with the acquisition of information and knowledge.
OCPL is alive with providing online and specialized information, materials, and services outside its physical walls to a wide range of library users.
OCPL is alive in meeting critical societal and social needs of our community.
But it is our personal and civic responsibility and obligation to ensure that the necessary fiscal and related resources are available for the Library to continue to meet is mission, goals, and objectives. In recent years there have consistently been efforts to reduce (some would say defund) the Ohio County Public Library. Perhaps these efforts have been from those who "have not stepped foot" in the OCPL for a long time?
Regardless of the reason, it is time to stop these nefarious budget recisions, which are unnecessary and harmful to the Library's continued success. As voters, we can assert our belief that the Ohio County Public Library is alive and well and needs to stay that way by restoring full and stable funding.
On May 14th, please vote FOR THE LEVIES (Board of Education and Ohio County Public Library levies). We need passage of both levies to flourish and prosper.
Charles A. Julian
Wheeling