Our local library needs YOUR help!!
1.
https://www.co.itasca.mn.us/345/County-Board-of-Commissioners
Reach out to your commissioner and let them know how important our library is to you!
2. Show up to show your support for our beloved community library on Tuesday May 27th at 2:30 p.m. at the Itasca County Courthouse (County Boardroom)!
"Grand Rapids Area Library may cease to exist.
On Tuesday, May 27, at 2:30 p.m. in the County Boardroom at the Itasca County Courthouse, the Itasca County Board of Commissioners will meet to hear a proposal from the City of Grand Rapids to enter into a Joint Powers agreement between the City of Grand Rapids and Itasca County to fund the Grand Rapids Area Library.
If this Joint Powers Agreement does NOT pass, the City of Grand Rapids has proposed that they will cut library funding by $500,000. This means that not only will there be no librarians to help you, but the library will be open ONE DAY a week. No Online Storytime, no Book Time, no Summer Storytime, no Artastic, no Storywalk, no Teen Book Club, no Page Turners Book Club, no Lego Club, no Winter Reading Program, no Summer Reading program, no book reviews on KAXE, no Summer Celebration, no Kids Stuff programs, no Legacy programs, no place to play in the winter that doesn’t require you to spend money, no place to warm up in the winter and cool off in the summer, no magazines to browse while you have a few minutes between practices, and NO BOOKS!!! And these are just the things that I do, as the Children’s Librarian. I can create an equally long list for adult services, including no passport services, no computer availability, no Interlibrary loan, and no help trying to navigate this crazy world.
Grand Rapids has managed to fund a library since the late 1890s. Without cooperation between the current Itasca County Board of Commissioners and the City Council, Mayor, and City Administrator, this may all fall to ruin. Can you imagine living in any town this size without a LIBRARY?????
We have tourists who come just to visit our library, professional people visit the library before deciding to take a job in town, many families visiting resorts come to the library. We are the face of the city for many tourists, and the services we provide are the reason they come back.
Yes, we have a thriving sports community, including a really great golf course and hockey arena. Money is found for these programs, and renovations, as it should be. But guess what? The athletes also use the library!!! Across all spectrums of our community, there are library users. What does that say about our community that we can have really great sports facilities, but NO LIBRARY?!?!?!
We NEED you now!
If you believe in Library services, if you think kids should have access to books and information, (Btw, they don’t staff libraries in area schools…this is the ONLY place some kids have access to books in this area. And, not everybody has internet access.) if you believe that an educated populace is important, we need your presence, and your voice.
I need you to come to the Itasca County Board meeting on Tuesday, May 27, at 2:30 in support of a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Grand Rapids and Itasca County for Grand Rapids Area Library funding. The meeting will be held in the Boardroom of the Itasca County Government Center (the courthouse) at 123 NE 4th Street, Grand Rapids, MN 55744
I know it’s a stupid time on a stupid day when many people are at work, but, maybe you can take a late lunch? Or a few hours off? I need you to have a physical presence. For our children. For your community. For you. We are fighting for OUR LIBRARY! (I can’t believe I have to say that.)
We need every single person who believes that people can make a difference, that grass roots movements can change thinking, that libraries are important to thriving communities.
In the meantime, please contact your county commissioner and let them know how strongly you feel about this issue. Many of you have asked over the past couple of years as our library hours have been cut, what you could do? I told you that when the time came, I would let you know.
This is the time.
It’s time to fill the chambers, to spill out into the hallway, to fill the streets.
You can find an Itasca County map, and your Commissioner’s name and photo at:
https://www.co.itasca.mn.us/.../County-Board-of...
If you click on the “Directory” button to the right of the map, you can find your commissioner’s phone number and email. Please, if the library is important to you, email again, call again, let them know how you feel.
And please, make sure you know what your candidate holds important BEFORE you vote in the next election."
-Tracy Kampa (shared with permission)
Also check out other Sports events in Grand Rapids, Kids events & activities in Grand Rapids, Meetups in Grand Rapids.
