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Community support for library has been inspiring
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A matter of $3,750 has sparked a community outpouring in Shamokin and Coal Township that is, to borrow a term, priceless.
Mary Ellen Lowe, librarian at the Shamokin-Coal Township Public Library, made her concerns for the library’s financial future very public when the Shamokin Area School District decided to cut its annual contribution to the library in half — from $7,500 to $3,750.
At least two school board members, and some district administrators, have done their best to explain why that decision was made, noting not only always-declining taxpayer funds, but the lack of library value for students who can’t get there during its open hours, and what they said has been an inflexibility of the library to further adjust those hours.
In the end, all that was a healthy community debate, one that should continue. We can only hope that the two sides see each other’s position more clearly, and can communicate more effectively in the future to reach compromise on such matters. If the school’s $3,750 is so invaluable to the library, to the point that Lowe said not receiving it could lead to a downward spiral that could jeopardize its existence, then, by all means, let’s communicate.
While that debate has been valuable, indeed, the reaction of the community has been worth so much more. Every week, it seems, since this issue first surfaced earlier this summer, someone has stepped up to help the library. It began with local Realtor Joe Bressi promising $200 for the library for every property sold by his firm over the next year — and he extended it to the communities that serve the Mount Carmel and Ralpho Township public libraries as well. Shamokin attorney James Zurick quickly followed Bressi’s lead, agreeing to donate $200 to the same three libraries from any real estate transaction and processing handled by his firm in the libraries’ home communities.
More recently, it was great to see the Shamokin Area High School girls’ soccer team devote its annual service project to the library with a benefit car wash. Even more interesting is the Shamokin High School Class of 1944’s recent decision to close out its account and toss $325.58 into the library kitty. Shamokin Knights of Columbus also gave $300.
It never ceases to amaze us how a negative story can become a positive one. The library, we’re sure, is appreciative of the support. The entire community should be as well, for, as Shamokin and Coal Township moves forward and continues to fight for economic recovery, having a local library will be an important — maybe even priceless — “quality of life” example it can use as a selling point.
Mary Ellen Lowe, librarian at the Shamokin-Coal Township Public Library, made her concerns for the library’s financial future very public when the Shamokin Area School District decided to cut its annual contribution to the library in half — from $7,500 to $3,750.
At least two school board members, and some district administrators, have done their best to explain why that decision was made, noting not only always-declining taxpayer funds, but the lack of library value for students who can’t get there during its open hours, and what they said has been an inflexibility of the library to further adjust those hours.
In the end, all that was a healthy community debate, one that should continue. We can only hope that the two sides see each other’s position more clearly, and can communicate more effectively in the future to reach compromise on such matters. If the school’s $3,750 is so invaluable to the library, to the point that Lowe said not receiving it could lead to a downward spiral that could jeopardize its existence, then, by all means, let’s communicate.
While that debate has been valuable, indeed, the reaction of the community has been worth so much more. Every week, it seems, since this issue first surfaced earlier this summer, someone has stepped up to help the library. It began with local Realtor Joe Bressi promising $200 for the library for every property sold by his firm over the next year — and he extended it to the communities that serve the Mount Carmel and Ralpho Township public libraries as well. Shamokin attorney James Zurick quickly followed Bressi’s lead, agreeing to donate $200 to the same three libraries from any real estate transaction and processing handled by his firm in the libraries’ home communities.
More recently, it was great to see the Shamokin Area High School girls’ soccer team devote its annual service project to the library with a benefit car wash. Even more interesting is the Shamokin High School Class of 1944’s recent decision to close out its account and toss $325.58 into the library kitty. Shamokin Knights of Columbus also gave $300.
It never ceases to amaze us how a negative story can become a positive one. The library, we’re sure, is appreciative of the support. The entire community should be as well, for, as Shamokin and Coal Township moves forward and continues to fight for economic recovery, having a local library will be an important — maybe even priceless — “quality of life” example it can use as a selling point.
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