The Mancos Library District is asking voters to approve a 2-mill property tax increase to fund operating costs for the library. Of the local ballot questions, this is the only one with a tax implication, and it is a worthwhile investment.
To people who do not use libraries — and that is their loss — such facilities may seem obsolete. After all, anyone can download a book from the internet.
But anyone who believes that libraries offer only books has not visited one lately, and certainly not the Mancos library. It is a vibrant, modern place where users cannot only avail themselves of books (including the electronic versions) but many other materials, can access the internet, and can enjoy a wide variety of fascinating programs. It is one of the town’s cultural and learning centers, and its work should not be diminished.
It is important to note that the Mancos middle school and high school do not have their own libraries, so the public library supports literacy and research services for local students who make up part of the 61,000 annual visits to the library.
If there is a negative comment to be made, it is that the library may have been overbuilt to start with, but that is water under the bridge. The Mancos Public Library provides essential services to the community, and the approximately $2 per household per month that this mill levy will cost is a very small price to pay it.
A good library like the Mancos Public Library is the intellectual glue of a community. It deserves a “yes” vote on this small tax increase.