Whatcom County Library System director Joan Airoldi addressing the crowd at the library town hall meeting.



Or, in the case of the local library branch, will there be enough funding to open it for more than 18 hours a week, the current
operating hours?

That question seemed to be uppermost in the minds of library lovers attending a town hall meeting at the community center on April 12. Approximately 25 people turned up to hear county library system director Joan Airoldi and local library and park officials discuss possible solutions to the current situation: a small, cramped and over-worked library.

Parks board chair Mark Robbins told the bibliophilic crowd that a design that was prepared pro bono by a local architect would cost in the neighborhood of $500,000. The addition/renovation would increase the library space from 900 to 2000 square feet.

Asked to justify the need for expansion, librarian Kris Lomedico said, “There’s not much room. Once a family of five comes in, the children’s room is too full to admit others.” Robbins pointed out that having just one computer in the library is less than ideal but did note that most of the calls for increased space had come from the library system and not residents.

Still, many in the crowd were clearly supportive of the proposal. Maureen Buckley said, “I think a library could be
the heart and soul of a community. I’d personally like to replicate Marin County library, which has a fireplace. We definitely need that in Point Roberts.”

Parks and library staff have agreed to solicit public opinion to determine how much, if any, support there is for an

expansion and determine how it could be financed.

 

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