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I am writing in support of renewing the Special Library Tax and encourage my fellow South Pasadena citizens to join me by voting YES on Measure LL.
As the Marengo Elementary School library technician for the past eight years, I know firsthand the value of libraries and the South Pasadena Public Library (SPPL), in particular. We are so fortunate to live in a community with a public library as robust as ours. It is a haven of learning, a place where people of all ages can access library materials that inform, entertain, educate and enlighten.
The SPPL is especially effective at reaching children, who are responsible for over half the library’s monthly circulation. The library’s story time and summer reading programs foster a love of books and the motivation to read. During the pandemic our elementary school libraries were closed. The SPPL filled in the gap, offering on-line programs and curbside circulation. These services were invaluable to students, parents and teachers, enabling them to access much needed resources—both in support of curriculum and to keep children engaged in and excited about reading.
At the end of the school year, I always encourage students to take a weekly trip to our public library during the summer break “Choose a day! Go in the afternoon when it’s hot and you have nothing else to do,” I say. “Take a walk with your best friend or a parent and spend an hour or two in the library, where it’s cool. You can borrow an ARMLOAD of books, free of charge! What could be better than that?”
A well-funded, well-used public library reflects a community’s values and its commitment to education. It encourages us to share resources with one another in good faith. It affirms the importance and power of reading. Please support our public library and vote YES on Measure LL.
