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The Magic of a Library

My family has lived in Chester for more than 40 years, and we have always made the library a priority. My mother was the town's head librarian for 18 years, and although she's since retired, we still use and support the library.

The current library is not accessible to people with physical limitations. It would break our hearts if we couldn't enjoy access to the library because of the old building's structure. Chester has a growing elderly population (plus two nursing homes and one retirement community), and they will be cut from Chester's ability to meet their needs.

The current library holds children's programs in the basement, where the exits are near the furnace room-that's an accident waiting to happen. Beyond safety, children need space to create, play, and use technology. When children start growing in a library, they often grow up with it as well. So there should also be suitable space for 'tweens and teens (something I would have loved at that age).

A new library would provide more computer workstations, quiet space for studying, and meeting space for community groups. Inevitably, there will be patrons who only want to use one or another of these services-and that's fine. The magic of a library is that it meets the greatest range of community needs in one space that is safe, accessible, and also maintains the character of its hometown.

We love to say, "Come home to Chester." For the sake of the town's community, history, and economy, there should also be emphasis to "Stay home in Chester." Why tell people that they should patronize a library in another town? Give the patrons more reasons to visit Chester Library-and keep them there-and it will only strengthen their involvement in and commitment to the community.

Tammy EustisChester