Dear City Council: I was dismayed to learn that the City Council is considering cuts to the library's (Main and Belle Haven) budget. I understand the City's budgetary concerns arising from the coronavirus issues. However, the library's benefits to the community should be considered in the context of the coronavirus. Before the virus, I always viewed the library as a community center - it hosted a variety of programs and there were always people in the reference section and the reading areas. Since the shelter-in-place went into effect, the library has continued to be a source of information and community outreach, with various on-line events. For instance, I have been attending the library's monthly fiction book club for more than two years. I find it informative and something I really look forward to. The book club leader is always well-prepared and leads an interesting discussion. After the shelter-in-place order, he worked with the library director to offer a zoom book club discussion on our regularly-scheduled evening. These meetings have been a welcome relief to the shelter in place. I urge you to keep the library's funding intact so that it can continue to offer community programs upon reopening. Thank you. Pat Walker Arlington Way, Menlo Park [ https://ipmcdn.avast.com/images/icons/icon-envelope-tick-green-avg-v1.png ] http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient > Virus-free. www.avg.com http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient > Received on Fri Jun 12 2020 - 10:42:18 PDT
