Libraries are a vital part of a community’s education, well-being and freedom of speech. I believe that libraries are a place where every single person should be able to access an unbiased range of information. This means that libraries should be independent of politics and their decisions should not be controlled by any political body.
In the July 14 election, Article 47-2 calls for the the board of selectpersons, through the town manager, to make all policies and decisions for the public library. The independent library trustees would act only as advisers to the town manager, effectively placing the Rumford Public Library in the hands of a political body.
I believe that is the wrong decision and has the potential to limit educational opportunities and freedom of speech in Rumford.
When I was a child growing up in Rumford, the Rumford Public Library was where I discovered the world and a vast range of knowledge and opinions. As a writer and an educator, I urge Rumford voters to preserve the independence of our public library.
Julie Cohen, Rumford
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