From Ann Warner…
A message from Ann Warner,
Former Library Board Member, 2005-2011, Board President, 2010-2011
Ann played an important role in leading the library through a significant milestone: the building's major expansion and modernization, which were completed on time and within budget. Over the last two decades, Ann has remained a strong supporter of the library. Notably, she composed this message on her laptop during a recent visit to the library.
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As I sit here in the library writing this, a flood of memories comes to mind. On a personal level, my love of this particular library stems from working on the millage campaign and the library's expansion almost 20 years ago. I served on the library board for five plus years and can attest that the building project was complex, interesting, and exciting. From interviewing potential architects and reviewing their proposals to the Grand Opening, it was as much fun as it was work.
The value of a public library to a community cannot be overstated. It’s so much more than books. It’s music and films, both to borrow and to enjoy live through screenings, performances, and film clubs. It’s meeting and listening to authors and attending book signings. It’s borrowing that board game you wanted to learn how to play or that tool you need for home repairs and projects. It’s those free seeds in the seed catalog for planting in your garden. It’s the bookstore where you can buy used books. It’s access to a computer for those who need it.
It’s meeting others from the community at the many events the library sponsors and making new friends. It’s a quiet place to read, study, reflect, learn; a place to do yoga, or learn a new craft. It's community. It’s fun. It's a refuge.
And it comes with a staff who are knowledgeable, friendly, and who love books, information, and live performances as much as you do.
I’ll quote the late author Sidney Sheldon: “Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination. They open up windows to the world and inspire us to explore and achieve, and contribute to improving our quality of life. Libraries change life for the better.”
