Vote yes to show support for Cedar Rapids library

To the editor:

Some Cedar Rapids residents are concerned about the proposed library levy, but I see it as an opportunity we can't pass up. It's a great way, allowed by Iowa law, that citizens themselves can designate a sustainable source of pay-as-you-go funding to be used just for library services. People in Dubuque, Waterloo, Davenport, Iowa City, and many other communities have taken advantage of the levy, and we should too.

The Cedar Rapids community is using library services and resources more than ever before. The Ladd Library on the west side is a full-service facility that continues to have heavy usage seven days a week. Since opening in August 2013, the super-efficient downtown building, which is paid for and debt-free, has helped circulation figures climb to 1.5 million a year, the highest in Iowa.

In the last fiscal year, our library recorded nearly 700,000 visits, and the use of computers and meeting rooms increased by more than 30 percent. Free classes and programs for adults and kids are a huge draw, proof that the library is as an equal-opportunity center for community learning and entertainment.

The cost for the 27-cent levy that will help support and preserve this essential resource is low - $15/year for a home value of $100,000 - and as a community, we'll get a lot of bang for the buck. Let's turn out the vote and say yes to the library levy.

Mary Russell Curran

Cedar Rapids