The current Orcas Island Public Library was built 25 years ago, at a time when computers were still a novelty, smart phones were science fiction, and no one had ever read an e-book. Today, these new technologies are ubiquitous, and they are not going away.

Our library is a haven for people who do not have access to high-speed Internet, allowing job-seekers and knowledge junkies alike to easily enter the world of information the Web opens up. It is a place where e-books are rented alongside print books and DVDs. It is a meeting place, a community hub, a home-office-away-from-home for many remote or self-employed workers. The library is a place where children discover the wonder of words. It is non-partisan, and open and welcoming to anyone regardless of economic means or social standing.

It’s no wonder that with all this seven-days-a-week hustle and bustle, the library has outgrown its physical space. There is no quiet reading area, the Young Adults section has maybe a walk-in closet’s worth of space, the center aisles are over crowded, and for every new book that comes in, another must leave.

Your yes vote on the levy lid lift on Nov. 8 will allow Orcas Island’s wonderful library to complete its urgently-needed expansion. Vote yes for our library, and for our community.

Norm Stamper

Orcas Island