Still in support of library

Dear Editor:

The defeat of the two ballot initiatives by wide margins should not be viewed as a repudiation of the library, its management and its staff. Rather, the votes turned aside a specific overly broad and expensive proposal that the voters believed was not in the long-term interests of the community.

I would hazard the guess that virtually everyone who voted “no” still feels that our library is a vital resource commanding countywide support. Rather than walk head-down in defeat, the library board should recognize that we feel very strongly about the library and do want to see continued relevance for the institution. It should immediately begin a renewed design process, one devoid of the architectural embellishments, that will functionally turn the library into a state-of-the-art facility for the 21st century. That is something we all understand as forward thinking as opposed to castle building and can get fully behind with broad support.

Neil B. Siegel

Aspen