[Libs-Or] Wallowa County news

[Kate Lasky]

This letter is inspiring!

Kate Lasky
Josephine Community Library District


From: Libs-Or <libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us> On Behalf Of Ruth Metz
Sent: Friday, May 18, 2018 5:47 AM
To: libs-or <libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>
Subject: [Libs-Or] Wallowa County news



Begin forwarded message:
From: Angela Bombaci <abombaci at me.com<mailto:abombaci at me.com>>
Date: May 17, 2018 at 9:38:01 PM PDT
To: Angela Bombaci <abombaci at me.com<mailto:abombaci at me.com>>
Subject: Thank you for supporting the Library District effort
Hello library supporters,
In case you haven’t heard, we didn’t manage to pass the Library District here in Wallowa County - this time. The unofficial results as of Wednesday showed 1,102 Yes votes (35.77%) and 1,979 No votes (64.23 %). Although I am disappointed, I feel far from disheartened. These results tell us that there are more than 1,000 people in the county who recognize the value of our libraries, and recognize it strongly enough that they got out there and voted in favor of a permanent tax rate. Over the past year, the work of the Librarians, the Library Foundation and the YES for Wallowa County Libraries PAC have illuminated the importance of Public Libraries throughout the county. The conversation is just getting started - and now we finally have an audience of people who are thinking about libraries, who are thinking about literacy, who are thinking about “what’s next?” So the work continues.

Please continue to be an advocate for your libraries in whatever way you can. That starts by getting your library card, and reminding your friends to get theirs. Utilize the library services, champion them for others. Teach someone who to download the Libby app and check out Audiobooks from home. The long term goal is to highlight the real value that libraries bring to our communities, and people often don’t see that until they visit the library themselves.

In the short term, you can help fight to keep the County Library open by attending County Commission meetings and insisting that the cash windfall recently received by the County is applied toward the library budget. You can attend City Council meetings in your own communities and advocate for library services, get involved with the library board or “friends” of the library in your town, and remember to thank your local librarians for their endeavors. In short, don’t let our momentum dwindle.

It will take the wisdom of a crowd to develop the next iteration of a stable library solution - whatever that may look like. Thanks for being part of this work. Read on, friends. On to the next adventure!

Sincerely,

Angela Bombaci
Volunteer Coordinator
YES for Wallowa County Libraries

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