Letter: Public libraries worth the cost
Delta councillor Ian Paton, who claims that he never goes to a library, has now suggested that Delta is spending too much on libraries and should reconsider the $3.2 million a year it pays for its membership in the Fraser Valley Regional Library. (“Councillor questions need for libraries in Delta,” South Delta Leader, Jan. 18, 2013).
As a retired person who can’t afford to buy the 50-odd books a year that I borrow from the library, I was appalled at his thinking, or lack thereof. I have lived in Delta for 40 years and have never once walked on any of our numerous playing fields, but it would never occur to me to object to the tax dollars they cost. We need them for our young people.
As for Councillor Paton’s opinion that libraries are no longer needed because we can do research on our computers, does he not realize that much reading is done for pleasure and it would certainly not be a pleasure to take my computer to bed with me.
He is also obviously unaware of the fact that libraries are very much into Internet technology. We can now request books through the Internet and many books are available as ebooks, again through our computer. (Maybe that is why there are fewer cars in library parking lots).
If Coun. Paton feels uncomfortable visiting a library for the first time, perhaps he could ask the council representative on the Library Board to take him by the hand and give him a tour. He might even find a book that he could read.
Joan Wallace
Tsawwassen
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