2020/08/19 Council Agenda Packet

Deb Williams From. Rebecca Partington <rebeccaapartington@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, August 17, 2020 6:32 PM To: Cassie Franklin; DL-Council Subject: Everett Public Library H i, I'm writing to let you know that the library is very important to me. I know the city is facing a budget deficit in 2021 and cuts will have to be made, but I do hope you will carefully consider the importance of the public library to the lives of Everett residents when deciding which programs to cut and by how much. For many of our neighbors, the library is the only place they can get access to the Internet, which is a necessity for day- to-day tasks like getting a job, paying bills, and staying in contact with family members. For many children, the library is the only way they can get access to books during the summer. The library also has year-round programming for people of all ages - story time for little kids, fun events for teens, book clubs for adults, and social groups for elders. When library funding is cut, these lifelines also get cut. As for myself, I've been using libraries since I was a small child learning how to read. I had a voracious appetite for books that my parents' wallets couldn't match, but the library could keep up with me. It's the same now for my own daughter now. Please preserve the library's funding as much as you can. It's very important to me and to all of our neighbors. Rebecca Partington 1