Tax-supported free public libraries are an American invention. They are fundamental to the preservation of our democracy, providing support for education and access to information.

Scarborough’s current library was designed for a 1990 population. The digital revolution since has impacted all libraries, and our population has nearly doubled. More than ever, we need access to accurate and impartial information across a wide spectrum.

The Scarborough library does this and more, with a wider range of resources – from films and museum passes to audiobooks and programming – than libraries of the past, and in summer’s increasing heat, it even provides a physical and spiritual public shelter. But it needs to grow.

This Nov. 8, please keep in mind that our right to vote is fragile, needing the support of an enlightened citizenry, and that strong public libraries are essential to that right.

Vote “yes” on the library referendum.

David Lewis
Scarborough