X

Opinion: Place great value in our library

Posted 5/13/21

To the editor: I am grateful to the citizens of Ogdensburg, who in 1892, realized the importance of a public library: they voted to establish and fund the Ogdensburg Public Library, which was …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Opinion: Place great value in our library

Posted

To the editor:

I am grateful to the citizens of Ogdensburg, who in 1892, realized the importance of a public library: they voted to establish and fund the Ogdensburg Public Library, which was chartered in 1893.

Dr. Fred Van Dusen, who saw the need for a well-organized and accessible library, said, “…that it will be the auspicious beginning of a greater library which will be of incalculable service to all the citizens of Ogdensburg and of which they will have every reason to be proud”(NULLA VESTIGIA RETRORSUM, 5).

One hundred twenty-eight years later, we still have every reason to be proud of our library. Over the years, the library has grown from the first fifty classic books to thousands of books and media to meet the needs and interests of anyone who enters the doors or requests items through the online catalog.

Our library is a busy, active place where people of all ages and all walks of life come to read, study, listen, research, and learn. They attend a wide variety of programs, attend community meetings, research their family history, and borrow the many things which are available, including jigsaw puzzles, cake pans, fishing equipment, passes to the Wild Center or the Adirondack Experience.

Need a computer? Use one at the library. Need Wifi? Use it at the library twenty-four hours a day. Love the river view? Sit in Library Park and soak up the sun, enjoy the gardens tended to by the members of the Ogdensburg Garden Club, or visit with a friend.

We are indeed fortunate to have such a resource.

Money is tight, needs are great. The library referendum asks the voters to decide whether they value the Ogdensburg Public Library enough to continue its support. May we all value the library as did our ancestors.

It is up to us to continue to championing the library so it continues to meet the needs of all members of our community.

Kathleen Lawrence
Ogdensburg