Library needs suggestions, responses

Re: “Civic Center renewal inches toward completion” [Volume 6, Issue 4 or bit.ly/1WmDuyJ]

Do you have any ideas about what we can do to get a new better library? 

I gather that the City Council has no clue on what a modern library could be. They should see the Encinitas library, or the El Cajon library or any other local library.

They have the idea that the local library is just fine as it is. No community meeting rooms, no decent book store, no separate room for children activities. I wish [the council] would go look at some of the local libraries to see what the 21st century is using for a library or what people are using a library for. I wish I could take them around to visit some of them or show them pictures of what a library could offer.

Any ideas?

—Pat Keller, La Mesa

I attended the March 24 workshop on our Civic Center. I was there to support our library. Thank you for your April 22-May 26 article regarding the inadequate response of our mayor and council to, what I believe, is a looming problem.

Libraries are major hubs of city activity — providing tutoring, literacy programs, early childhood education, book clubs, lectures, concerts, demonstrations and more. Our library has slipped to third in use because the library space is not adequate and parking is a bear.

The city will need to pay a projected one million dollars to the county for the land if a suitable library is not built. So, we should remodel and add on to the existing building. If we satisfy the county on the library building, we can use the million dollars to fund the changes on the library.

I see it as a win-win for city and county.

—Sharon Smith, La Mesa