Sunday, October 19, 1997

New library isn't a sinister plot

By Glenn Dromgoole / Abilene Reporter-News

It's hard for me to understand how anyone could be against the proposed new library. But I know some people are, and that's their right. Everyone rarely agrees on anything.

What is troubling to me, however, is the cynical tone of some of the letters we have received from people opposed to the library. Especially the ones who claim that somehow the new library is a sinister plot by the powers that be to put something over on the people.

Heavens! Why would the "powers that be" try to cram a library down the people's throats? The powers that be aren't the ones who will use the library the most. They have their own libraries. They can afford to buy their own books. They have access to the Internet with their own computers. They have their own music collections. They can afford to buy or rent their own movies.

In fact, the powers that be -- if by that you mean the leaders at City Hall -- had to be literally dragged into this library proposal. After the last bond issue, a lot of those folks would have been glad to have never heard the word "library" again.

But the issue had to come up again because our current library isn't adequate anymore. Abilene deserves better. Our children, and our children's children, deserve better.

And we can afford to do better. A community has to keep investing in itself if it wants to remain a vibrant, thriving town, and over the years Abilene has done that. We've built new schools when we needed them. We've built parks and civic centers and water systems.

And we've built libraries. And now we need to build a new one to replace the last one built in 1959.

We have been blessed as a city to have philanthropic individuals and institutions who have taken the lead in revitalizing our downtown, which is now drawing national attention to Abilene. The Paramount, the Grace, the Depot and many other projects were done largely with private funds. No bond issues had to be passed for them.

But a new public library is something the public needs to take responsibility for. This bond vote is our opportunity to do that. It is our opportunity to participate in continuing to make Abilene a better, brighter city.

For years to come I hope to go to the library and take visitors there and know that I had a small part in building such a fine facility. I want to say that I invested my vote and my tax dollars in believing in, and building for, the future of this great community.

I can't see anything sinister in that. It just seems like the right thing to do -- and the right time to do it.