The following op-ed piece, by Library Board of Trustees Chair Keith Grebe, was submitted to local media June 6, 2008:
Library District in Best Interest of Jefferson County
After the June 17 Library District Public Hearing, the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) will make a decision on the future of the Jefferson County Public Library, the second largest in the state. The BCC will determine whether or not to allow the Library to move forward as a separate library district – a decision that will have long-term effects on the future operations of the Library and its services to the community.
For the last 56 years, the Library has operated as a component unit of Jefferson County government. Residents have benefited greatly from this organizational model, and it has served our 10-library system well.
However, residents’ demands on their libraries have changed and use of our services has increased significantly in the last 10 years. Since 2000 use of the Library and its core services have increased an average of 142 percent.
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