On Nov. 8, Scarborough residents will be asked to approve a $12.9 million bond for a massive and largely unnecessary expansion of the public library. The plan would nearly triple the size of the library from 13,000 to 35,000 square feet.

This huge expansion comes despite fewer than 2 percent of Scarborough residents indicating any dissatisfaction with the library in a recent survey.

The campaign in favor of the proposal is based on emotion and civic pride, rather than rational analysis of real needs. The result is an over-the-top plan that is not justified by either current usage or highly speculative future needs.

As libraries everywhere struggle to reinvent themselves in an increasingly digital world, the need for large physical expansions should be carefully scrutinized. This proposal did not receive such scrutiny. Scarborough residents should vote “no” on the library bond.

Steve Hanly
Scarborough