Library Funeral at Commissioners' Meeting
mama reader, 17.04.2007 19:52
Inside chambers, Commissioners determined budget costs for maintaining closed libraries. Outside, a group of young avid readers held a funeral procession, demonstrating their displeasure with the County decision to close the libraries.
Eight Kids and Simple Props Make a Strong Statement
Bringing it to the Commissioners' door
The same children also organized a sit-in at the Ashland branch when it closed on April 6th. Today they brought their message to the Commissioners' doorstep.
"They will see us outside their building and they will understand how hurt we are. I'm not very happy with them. A lot of kids are feeling what I'm feeling now, said Bronson Samel-Garloff, age 11, of Ashland.
The children also attended the Commissioners' hearings on the library closure back in January. The fact that there was no public hearing asking for ideas to keep the libraries open was not lost on them. The kids are dismayed that the first time County government asked for public input was when they announced their decision to close the library system.
"I think they should have different priorities with the budget. Libraries are really important. If they needed help, they should have asked people to help give them options," said nine year-old Maxwell Samel-Garloff.
"The County Commissioners knew for years that this could happen and they did nothing about it. They failed us and they should be ashamed," chided Aubyn Heglie, age 11 of Ashland.
She continued, explaining the choice of funereal theme for the demonstration: "The funeral is a symbolic gesture. The closing of the library is like a death, but we can re-open the libraries if we try."
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