Jenn Bildersee
Bildersee is an environmental program manager and a board member of Friends of the Library. She lives in Southeast Portland.
Each week, my family drops by the Belmont branch of the Multnomah County Library to pick up items we have placed on hold. My two elementary schoolers browse the shelves and chat with librarians to find “just right” books. My family is one of those frequent users that have helped make the Multnomah County Library one of the most used – and best loved – library systems in the nation.
We know and love the library because storytime with librarian Jane was a regular activity for our family from when my kids were born until they started kindergarten. And we’re not alone. Last year, over 120,000 children and their grownups read books, sang songs and recited rhymes at library storytimes to foster literacy skills and a love of reading.
The only downside to all that enthusiasm for storytime is that our libraries don’t have enough room to accommodate it. Multnomah County libraries have the fourth largest circulation in the nation, but they are 102nd in terms of space, according to the Public Library Data Service Survey. Like many others, my family often made the trip to the library for storytime only to be turned away at the door because the small meeting space had quickly filled. Storytime provides a rare opportunity for all families to access free, welcoming literacy learning -- but only if there’s room.
In addition to reading programs like storytime, the library has offerings for visitors of all ages. Last year residents attended more than 18,000 library programs, like book clubs, homework help, culturally specific programs, job search assistance and technology support for seniors. Yet many branches don’t have rooms to provide these programs. Some branches hardly have space for visitors to sit with a book.
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As the population of our county has changed, our library has changed with us. The library now provides e-books, streaming movies, and a broad array of tech support. It offers early literacy programs in five different languages and stocks children’s books in 20.
As a board member of Friends of the Library, a nonprofit that fundraises and advocates for the Multnomah County library system, I know the statistics showing how our library facilities have not been able to match the growth of our population. East County – the area east of I-205 – is home to nearly 40% of the county’s population, but less than a quarter of the library space. Some branches deny over three-quarters of requests for public meeting rooms because of a lack of available space. All 19 branches of the Multnomah County library system would fit into Seattle’s single downtown library building, with room to spare. Minneapolis has four times the space! While I love our scrappy and bustling system, the fact is that without more space, kids lined up for storytime and library users of all ages can’t access the resources that should be available to everyone.
Last week, Multnomah County Commissioners reviewed a proposal for a $405 million bond to expand and modernize our library buildings. The proposed bond, which has been in development for three years, includes a critical investment in a new flagship library in East County, expands six libraries across the rest of the county, adds a much more efficient materials handling system and Gigabit internet service at all branches. This means more space for children’s reading programs so families aren’t turned away. More space for resume classes and improved access for people with disabilities. More space to sit, read, study and work together. I am hoping the county commissioners will refer this proposal to the ballot.
Our libraries represent what is best about our community. They are places we learn, connect, collaborate, enrich our lives, and grow. To serve everyone, our library needs to grow with us.
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February 02, 2020 at 10:30PM
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Opinion: Well-used and deeply loved, Multnomah County libraries have outgrown their space - oregonlive.com
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