A Library in Jeopardy
The City Council's arbitrary deadline for the Woman's Reading Club puts a vital community project at risk.
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The Statesman sees no good reason for the council's placing a limit of thirty days on the effort of the Woman's Reading Club to raise half of the twelve thousand dollars required for a library building. While the ladies of the club may be able to raise the stated amount within the limit, their failure to do so should not be made an excuse for the withdrawal of the city's offer to purchase the site designated by the club. The offer of the Woman's Reading Club is most generous and the council should show its appreciation by giving the ladies all the time they want to raise the amount required. If the money can be raised within thirty days, all well and good, but if not, let the time be extended to six months or a year rather than have the city lose the chance to get a library building that will be a source of pride to the community.
“The council should show its appreciation by giving the ladies all the time they want to raise the amount required.”
Local government gatekeeping of public infrastructure is a persistent struggle; the Woman's Reading Club's fight for a library prefigures the modern civic struggles for public funding and space in rapidly changing municipalities.
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