Ganje: Terminating libraries a community-changing event

To the board and its management, first I will provide comments and second I will provide questions and facts.

I submit this as a resident of Sun City and as a cardmember of Recreation Centers of Sun city. It is startling that a world-renowned community established for older residents – Sun City, Arizona - would (or its “professional management” would) determine that two libraries within its borders should be cast out of the community to become a libraryless community. It will reflect poorly on Sun City’s leadership if the leadership orders a business-based exorcism of the community libraries.

On the value of libraries, founding father Ben Franklin said, “These libraries have improved the general conversation of Americans, made the common tradesmen and farmers as intelligent as most gentlemen from other countries, and perhaps have contributed in some degree to the stand so generally made throughout the colonies in defence of their priviledges.” 

Libraries are not books. If management and the board believe that a library is just a book lending place, then they must also think that the wooden pews in a church are meant only for people to sit on. Libraries provide a spectrum of resources and services. Libraries support democracy by making space and people available so a community can use its computers and have good access to consider current viewpoints, opinions and ideas. Community residents can become or may already be lifelong learners - informed, literate, and socially engaged. This access now happens nearby in Sun City, not at longer distances from the community.

Terminating library leases (or short-terming library leases) would be a community-changing event. To consider a change in Sun City’s relationship with its libraries requires a mature engagement of the issue by those in authority. I do not now see such active engagement. The attached statistics on library use  which also report on the library budget are significant. How has the citizen board and its professional management considered the following evidence showing library use in Sun City: a copy of the Maricopa County Library District budget history of monies spent on library services for the Sun City libraries or the Maricopa County Library District User Gate and Circulation data for the fiscal year 2023.

Does management view the library issues as a business decision? That is only a part of a transparent, accountable public decision. Changing the library relationship is a community decision. What would be the community purpose in restricting or ending the life of the two libraries? What is the specific proposed and disclosed community purpose in using existing library space for other reasons? Have those other reasons been presented to the public? Have those other reasons been subject to community input. Have those other reasons been subject to a survey of the public? What relevant analysis by management has been made available to the community?

I submit this message to management and to the board. I have also hand-delivered a printed copy of this message with attachments to the RCSC offices for circulation to all board members.