Dayton Chronicle - Your Hometown News Source

To the editor,

I am very concerned over the unrest with the Columbia County Rural Library District and the petition to dissolve the rural library district. Our library serves many people in our community of all ages. I do realize that there is an issue with some of the books and what age level they have been accessible to. It is certainly cause for concern but abandoning the library is a drastic measure and would leave a very large hole in our community. The library offers the ability to make copies, access to computers, books, movies, early education games and toys, a summer reading program, newspaper archives, old county records, ebooks and audio books, a lending program for tools and home goods. It also provides the Delany Building as a place for people to gather for many different kinds of events. I understand there is alarm over the library budget. I would like to present some facts on expenses incurred by the library over the last several years. These numbers were provided by the Columbia County Treasurer. 2018 - $460,886.57, 2019 - $385,410.61, 2020 - $459,616.07, 2021 – 464,248.51, 2022 - $461,377.66. And as of August 3, 2023 $227,321.50 has been spent. I hope this will clarify any misleading information on how much we are being led to believe is being spent. I sincerely hope that the people of our community can come together to find an acceptable solution short of wiping out an institution that has been a staple in our town since 1937.

Susan Schlenz

Dayton, Wash.

To the editor,

 A common behavior of physical or emotional abusers is they don't take responsibility for their actions. They make comments like "He/she made me do it." In their mind it's OK to attack because the victim did something they didn't like.  An abuser blames everyone else for their own misbehavior.

They have a choice to do something besides attacking another person.  They chose to give into their own anger & ignore self-control.

At one library board meeting when decisions were made that didn't agree with, the dissolve the library sponsor, she stated that she must see a list of books being moved.  She wants a new policy for collection development.  The library must separate from the respected professional groups ALA and WLA.  She requested the resignation of the board chairman, because he attend an WLA meeting, along with our than library director who gave a presentation.  She asks for an overhaul of the library's budget.

At another library board meeting when decisions didn't go according to her viewpoint she said, "...there is a feeling of distrust.  You leave me no choice but to file a petition."  It didn't matter that some people in the room supported her decision and others strongly opposed it.  She is choosing to dissolve our library for the entire community.  No one "made her" do it.  She chose to do it.  Desiring a certain outcome doesn't mean it's true or right.  Especially when you are hurting people by name calling and taking away some of their resources.   Her full comments are on Facebook and local papers. 

The distrust she perceives is not the opinion of many people using the library. These are her opinions only. It not her right to demand others make a list of books she doesn't approve of. Why should the library break away from the ALA & WLA? It's an honor to be asked to present a program there.

Her opinion on the budget is inaccurate, and is her viewpoint, not the viewpoint of others. She indicated that presenting at the WLA reflected an unfavorable light on our community.  

  I have heard from many people, "What is happening with Dayton?" It is not because of a presentation, it's because of their attack on our library.

Among all the comments on how the library should "do as she wants" I have not heard any positive helpful suggestions.

The issue is not about removing or moving certain books. It's about the feeling of power and attention they get by opposing our public library.

Her statements are DEMANDS that blame the library for what she sees as problems. While she takes no responsibility for the major damage to our community if the library is dissolved.

Carol Anderson

Dayton, Wash.

To the editor,

Our Library is a very important resource for us. Personally, the library is our only computer and our only copy machine. My daughter walks to our library at least twice per week. She checks out DVDS and books very often. Her favorite books are ones about Knitting and crochet because she makes gifts for people. We don't have a car, so we do everything locally. Every week my daughter uses the computer at the library to check the Email and print off the songs we sing for church. I help lead the worship at our church and need the computer every week. When we moved here to Dayton 16 years ago, there were more activities and businesses here. The library is one of the only places of activity left in our town. It is the best resource for our people here. We both took computer classes when they offered them at our library. My adult daughter has a disability and would be very bored here without our library being open. It would be awful to ride thirty miles on a bus to check out a book. We need the convenience of our local library.

Dawn S. Spitler

Dayton, Wash.