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Dear Casper,

I am writing to you today in support of libraries. Specifically, I am writing in support of public libraries. As a bibliophile it is easy to look at a library and only see the books. The library is a portal into multiple worlds, perspectives, and vast vocabularies and languages.

When a person enters the Natrona County Public Library they are greeted with books, sure, but there is so much more.

In the library there are computers with free internet. That’s right, really truly free internet. Free internet is hard to come by, so if someone is seeking a job, the library is a great place to go. A person could log onto a computer and use the library’s internet to fill out job applications. Heck, the library even has books about how to perfect a resume. NCPL also has affordable printing. The last time I printed it was like 10 cents per page, and I was able to print my business plan before taking it to the bank to start my business. If a person needs to print a resume, it is much more feasible to do it at the library than going elsewhere.

The public library also has the Creation Station. If you are unsure about buying all the supplies to learn a new craft, you can try almost anything in the creation station. There are people available to help you. What a neat way for our library to provide for our community.

Then there’s the programming. As a mother with two young children, the library’s summer programming is awesome and free to the public. There are so many child friendly activities. Have you been to the drum safari? If not, you are missing out. The library runs programming for children of every age throughout the year. I am always particularly impressed by their marketing for programs for teens.

Our library/library cards give us access to the Libby app and the Kanopy app. The Libby app is for borrowing books and magazines from a digital library and Kanopy is borrowing movies. These features are just amazing bonuses on top of the already vast array of resources available. Not to mention the CDs. I get it, CDs are a little antiquated, but they are a real treat on family road trips. Each of my children gets to pick out a CD from the children’s section and it has really cut down the number of fights we have about who gets to pick the music in the car.

Now we have to discuss the books.

Libraries, including our very own Natrona County Public Library, have thousands of books. That’s right, thousands. Imagine, many of these books are fiction allowing us to drift into fantasy, history or something else. Some of the books are biographies, allowing us to see the true account of something from the eyes of someone who experienced it. If you’re looking to learn a new skill, or are interested in finding ways to improve different aspects of your life there are plenty of how-to and self-help books. These books are so great when you are learning a new skill, or preparing for something new. Each book is a world of its own, even the nonfiction ones; why would we choose to close our children and communities off to all of these worlds?

A study from 2017 conducted by Rose Turner at Kingston University found that people who read had a greater awareness and empathy for other people’s feelings. This article states, “The results revealed that readers had greater awareness and empathy for other people’s feelings, while those who preferred watching television came across as less friendly and less understanding of others’ views.” What an interesting thought. Reading literature can help us see the world through different eyes, and can make us more sensitive to those around us. In the midst of the world that we are living in, wouldn’t we want folks, our children and selves included, to be kinder and better humans?

I recognize that our taxes pay for the library, and that where our tax dollars are going is of great concern to many of us. To this I say, good. Libraries are essential parts of our social infrastructure for all of the reasons I have listed above. Libraries are without a doubt essential.

Now I say to all the bibliophobes, perhaps your life would be more satisfying if you were to go to the library. Utilize all that this social structure has to offer. There are skills, programs, and yes, books to discover. Perhaps opening a book will help open your mind and your heart as well.

Writing in solidarity for a better Wyoming future,

Betsy Erickson
Casper

P.S. It is not lost on me that the first draft of this letter was written in the notebook I received from the library when I completed the first leg of the summer reading challenge.

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