Two down, one to save

Libraries are at the beating heart of our culture, what there is of it. Especially in these times of book banning and institution wrecking, our libraries and librarians stand between all of us—whatever political persuasion—and barbarism.

Many years ago, my late wife Thea spearheaded election initiatives to create a library district in Wahkiakum County so we could join Timberland Regional Library. Both successive attempts—first for the whole county, then just for the West End—went down, the latter by three votes. I hate to say it, but now I think the voters did the right thing. We have a fine, independent town library, whereas Timberland has lost its heart, mind, and conscience and is abandoning branches right and left. Naselle Timberland Library (Wahkiakum in every respect but the county line) has lost all of its librarians and most of its stacks, and the same is pending for South Bend, Raymond, and other small branches with fine buildings. For the loss of librarians, members get key fobs for personal access, self-checkout that seldom works right, and bookmobiles on promise. Bookmobiles were great in the old days; have we not gotten past that?

Now the volunteer library at Johnson Park in the old Rosburg School has gone down, too. In my many years here, I have seen successive boards at Johnson Park alienate and drive out three superb librarians. This time, they are selling off (as I write) many of the very books that stocked the shelves. I donated lots of these, including a set of my own published titles, and many I rescued from the dumpster in front of the building when the school shut down. I did not donate these to be sold off, and I was not consulted. I have asked the board to explain themselves, and they responded that some books will remain in the hallway, and mine in the computer room, but the library itself will be rented out. This particularly stings because my daughter, Dory read her way from A to Z through those stacks as a student at Rosburg Middle School, and it was wonderful to see that elegant room restored to library use for the community.

All this is to say that our Cathlamet Public Library is now the last one standing between Longview and Long Beach, and we must do everything necessary to support it and our wonderful librarian, Miss Vicki—regardless of budget constraints. A library without a librarian, as Naselle pretends to be, is no library; and a town without a library is no town at all.

Robert M. Pyle

Grays River