The Parkersburg and Wood County Public Library has always meant something special to our family. As a child I spent many evenings and Saturdays in the Carnegie Library on Green Street at story hour, climbing the stairs searching for books from shelves which stood on the glass floors and receiving help from the staff.
Our children also had wonderful experiences at the library participating in storytime, researching for their classes in Wood County schools, and engaging in activities in Summers Auditorium. Our daughters have turned into avid readers. School libraries only have so many books and they were able to supplement their education by visiting the public library. One daughter volunteered there and gained practical work experience from this opportunity.
I have tutored literacy volunteer students there, used the genealogy room for researching family history and now that we have less book stores I can check out books for research and pleasure. I taught for a number of years at Parkersburg South High School and realize the south Parkersburg branch of the library, which has been in existence since 1972, needs to be enlarged. Students in the south Parkersburg area need this opportunity and it needs to be in their neighborhood.
Other needs which will be addressed by passing the levy will be to reinstate the hours cut at the Waverly branch and the Bookmobile as well as add weekend library hours at the Williamstown branch.
For some, it is a way to have Internet, read newspapers and magazines; for others it is a way to research family history, connect with their neighbors and check out movies, documentaries and books. Regardless of the reason, everyone can benefit from the services the libraries provide to our community. Be supportive of the levy on Nov. 6 and vote Yes for Parkersburg and Wood County Library.
Barbara D. Smith
Vienna
