Editor:

    While I am of an age where I often talk about the “good old days”  when I walked long distances to school in the deep snow, I must admit I was surprised to read Nate Jones’ article “Library funds questionable.”  How someone could think that the good old days consisted of dark school libraries in a damp basement with “water cascading down the walls” is a mystery to me. Certainly as tax paying citizens and trustees of the library, we want to make the best use of the public and private funds we receive to operate our library. However, the thought of children, or any one for that matter, going to a hot, damp, dark library to borrow wet books and materials is not in anyone’s best interest.

 Scarborough Public Library is proud of its collection of books, tapes, CDs, reference materials, magazines and newspapers and computers that literally thousands of citizens use each year. In this age of renew and recycle, doesn’t it make a lot of sense to borrow a book or CD, rather than drive somewhere to buy it? In these days of computers and email, doesn’t it make sense to have them available for those seeking jobs to use a computer to print off their resume or apply on line? How about grandparents who want to email their families and friends across the country? We have a lot invested in the resources of our library and it makes no sense at all to allow moisture or dripping ceiling tiles to damage our town’s treasure.

 The one thing that Nate Jones and I agree on is “When it comes to a library, it’s what’s inside that counts.” That includes our collection of books and technology as well as our children, our grandparents, our neighbors our staff and ourselves. And by the way, most of us have to drive to the library, which is why we need a sign and safe sidewalk and front entrance. The town council is very supportive of our library and has wisely encouraged us to use professional help in capital improvement planning. You may rest assured that between the oversight of the board and the town council, your next trip to the library will be a safe and pleasant one.

Nancy B. Kelleher

President, board of trustees

Scarborough