National Library Week is April 1-7.
A public library is an institution offering services free to every single member of the community it serves. National Library Week is a time to give special attention to our public libraries, and we really, really need to do that here on St. Thomas.
The functions of public libraries have expanded tremendously in the last 15 years. Both in spite of and because of the advancements in computer and audio/video technology, libraries have become increasingly valuable to the communities they serve.
Bright and cheerful children's rooms in public libraries have a wide variety of expensive books that can be borrowed at no cost. Special reading groups, access to educational computer software and video programs, and artistic activities are ongoing.
After-school access to public libraries for homework research and Internet usage is invaluable to young people. Teen-agers find fiction and non-fiction books and periodicals geared to their reading levels and interests. Summer programs encourage children to keep up their reading skills during their vacation.
An active public library provides programs for senior citizens – such as workshops on health issues, taxes, investments and budgeting; travel presentations; Internet orientation sessions; and general opportunities for socialization.
At libraries, people can read magazines and newspapers they can't afford or don't want to buy. They can borrow movie and documentary videotapes and music CD's. Library patrons can research consumer issues, borrow bestsellers, benefit from stimulating workshops on current issues and join reading and discussion groups. They can go on the Internet and catch up on their e-mail without owning a computer.
If this description of what a public library provides comes as a surprise to you, it is no wonder. The public library on St. Thomas currently offers very few of these benefits.
The Enid M. Baa Library does not even have a professional librarian on staff. Without leadership and without adequate funding, the staff struggles to maintain what little it has to offer.
The library has purchased few books in the last few years. There are no special activities. No videos or music recordings are available to borrow. The limited book and magazine selections sit on half-empty shelves. The reference materials are out of date. The computers are limited.
The library building is almost inaccessible to the general public. It has no parking facilities and no access for the disabled. The library is closed on Saturdays, Sundays, government holidays and evenings – the very times when working people could visit and adults could accompany their children.
The building is not in good physical condition; inside, it is drab, colorless and poorly lighted. Lights and signs that blew away in Hurricane Marilyn have never been replaced. Many people don't even know where the library is.
Sophisticated equipment worth thousands of dollars sits silently on the third floor. It is meant to be used to microfilm local newspapers and to maintain archives. But the man who knows how to do that retired last year, and no replacement is on the horizon. Stacks of Daily News and Avis copies await archiving.
The valuable Von Scholten collection of historic printed materials, faithfully guarded by loyal and competent employees, is bursting off its old metal shelving. The public-access, coin-operated copy machine, essential to taking information from the collection out of the library, since the works themselves are not allowed to circulate, was not working recently.
Every afternoon, after school lets out, children congregate around the library. They need to be involved in activities. They need someone responsible for seeing that they get into the library or go where they will have supervision. They need a viable library program.
We live in a community that is hungry for knowledge. Too many adults are functionally illiterate. Those who are well educated need resources for ongoing growth and enjoyment. The public schools are not fulfilling the educational needs of our children. The world is moving on rapidly, and we are pedaling as fast as we can trying to catch up.
Public libraries are designed to narrow the gap between the "haves" and the "have nots." Among other things, they help to bridge the information gap between those who have daily computer access and those who don't.
You do not have to be rich to have access to information, stimulating activities and opportunities to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to advance yourself — if you can make use of the public library.
A modern, functioning library on St. Thomas could meet so many needs. It could truly be a hub of the community, providing residents with access to knowledge and information that would empower all of our lives, broaden our horizons and bring us together.
There is something you can to do help make this possible: Become a member of Friends of the St. Thomas Libraries and join others in the effort to revive the Enid M. Baa Library, build a new library structure and develop a community asset that benefits all. To become a member, send your name, postal address, e-mail address and a $10 check or money order to Friends of the St. Thomas Public Libraries, Corporate Place, Royal Dane Mall, St. Thomas VI 00802.
