Gestation period hatches library

It seems to be a matter of scale. For elephants, it’s 640 to 645 days. For mice and small animals between 20 and 33 days, for dogs and cats between 61 and 69, and moving up to monkeys and humans it takes 164 to 266 days. But for elephants it’s going to take longer.

That might have been a biology lesson to heed when the Coupeville Library Board began its research into library expansion. For the past four years (gosh, has it been that long?), your Library Board members have been “gestating.” We have looked at data, taken field trips to other community libraries within the Sno-Isle system, and have met with experts and officials to determine what they think is best to meet the library needs of our community. It takes some intensive commitment to “birth” a library. But now we have determined that after 20 years the need for expansion is obvious. Just as it takes more time for big animals to produce young, it takes many resources to produce a living, breathing public library.

The walls are closing in on many patrons and programs that make our branch of Sno-Isle so meaningful. From preschool to seniors, the community benefits from the many services a public library provides: story hours to tax forms, baby books to encyclopedias, tiny tunes to full concerts, and kid videos to foreign films, these are just a few of the many resources we all enjoy. And unless you’ve been ignoring it, being able to use the Internet for anything you’d like to research is without parallel — it’s become part of our lives. All of these services need space to grow, just as our community expands.

And if money matters to you, we invite you to think what you’d have to spend to have the resources our library provides. Imagine having to buy or own or store all of the many media materials available at the library: books, music, magazines, newspapers, DVDs and CDs, movies and software, bestsellers and current editions, not to mention the ever-expanding universe that is the Internet. It’s all there for you to enjoy, for free.

A school principal once referred to the library as the “living room” of the school; we’d suggest that this could be said of any library. As meeting place, gathering spot, intellectual storehouse and a place to just relax and unwind, a library fills many needs.

We hope that you and your family have enjoyed the many services that the Coupeville branch of Sno-Isle Library has to offer. Come visit the library soon and often, and see for yourself. Have a burning question? Ask a librarian.

Coupeville Library Board Members:

Nancy Bailey, Jim Cavanaugh, Doris Randall, Joann Roomes and Jim Short

Libraries are our guardians

In response to Mr. Darvill’s letter dated July 9, I would like to comment that he gave some excellent reasons to vote for the new taxes. By increasing its size and tax base, the Coupeville Library will be able to better serve all of its patrons, now and in the future.

Mr. Darvill apparently forgot that many people live south of Coupeville. Would he have them drive the extra distance to Oak Harbor with today’s (and tomorrow’s) gas prices?

Libraries fill a very special need for many people and their support is fully justified. As a footnote, I would like to add that librarians are historically true guardians of our freedoms —freedom of speech and the press. Thank you.

Tim McManus

Coupeville

Enough with taxes already

In her July 2 letter, Ms. Dannhauer states that the new Coupeville library would only add $21 in taxes for a house assessed at $300,000. That may be so, but, I’m already paying $99.88 (4.6 percent) on my $319,000-assessed house, per year. Enough already.

Carol White

Coupeville

Some taxes are worth it

Taxes! Who needs them? Retired and on a fixed income I certainly don’t. However, it is so easy to take our frustrations out on local levies in a time when we lack control over the ever spiraling cost of living. There are many other government expenditures I would love to squelch but can’t. I won’t retaliate by cutting off a source of growth money to an institution that has nurtured our community for many years.

In Fred Darvill’s letter of July 9 he suggested closing the Coupeville Library, leaving us with no option but to travel the extra distance to Oak Harbor. Your $21 won’t buy much gas at today’s prices.

We’ve lived in this community for 40 years and shared in the pride of watching our local library grow. When our daughters (now 37 and 35) were growing up, Carol Dyer held storytime in a closet off a room in the City Hall building. She was able to accommodate about 6 to 8 children. The closet was overflowing. Last week I stopped off to pick up a book ordered over the Internet and was overwhelmed with what I saw. The children’s story section was full and overflowing. Anyone walking into our library that day would KNOW why we need to vote for this expansion.

Mr. Darvill, I suggest you visit a REAL library right here in Coupeville and learn what we have to offer. Despite its small size our community has been enriched with many programs for young people and adults alike. With the research help of our library people Coupeville has sent many students on to the State and National History Day competition.

My children are grown so why should I vote for a library levy or schools for that matter? Why? Because I am part of a community, and a community like a family supports all its members as they in turn are supported.

The Coupeville Library is a nurturing community center that is bursting at its seams. It is time for us to step up to the plate again and provide that support.

Marilyn Engel

Coupeville

Many rely on our library

Soon it will be up to the citizens to approve a library expansion levy for the Coupeville Library. The library is part of the Sno-Isle system, one of the best in the state. Many area residents rely on this library for information, entertainment, and to attend important meetings.

What has the library done for you? It’s helped to educate tomorrow’s voters for one thing. It also obtains new books at your request and hardly ever nags if you haven’t returned overdue items! Have you visited the library lately? If you answered “no,” that is really too bad. There is so much knowledge available, so much entertainment, that you are really missing out, even if you can’t read.

Like other American institutions these days, the library requires financial support from concerned area citizens and now the library needs your support. The Coupeville Library needs to expand. It needs more room for activities and storage. For pennies a week you can help make significant improvements and ensure a safe and efficient place for residents seeking knowledge. It’s an important community investment and our future citizens will thank you, thoughtful voter.

Jerry Mercer

Greenbank