Our libraries, serving the public good, help create community

On Tuesday, April 8, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., the annual tax levy and trustee vote takes place at the Albert Wisner Public Library.

Even those who don’t necessarily use the library much - or at all - but believe in libraries and recognize their value should vote.

The only requirements to vote are that the person is a resident of the Warwick Valley School District and is a registered voter.

This year it is especially important to show your support. On March 14, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order advancing the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

In doing so, the President has elected to eliminate the only federal agency dedicated to funding and serving libraries across the United States and its territories.

The Executive Order also impacts the museums to which AWPL provides free museum passes such as the Intrepid, the September 11 Memorial, Bethel Woods, etc.

Congress can stop this travesty but if it doesn’t, these cuts will impact the entire Ramapo Catskill Library System and flow down to AWPL, increasing costs and stifling access to funding for upgrades, innovations, materials, etc.

It’s incredibly sad and disappointing that resources and services which provide such a high return on investment are being cut, seemingly without regard to the positive impact that libraries have on communities in serving all who enter their doors.

Encourage friends/neighbors in Warwick who care about the importance of public libraries generally, and our library specifically, to vote on April 8. And, make your views known to your elected representatives.

Our libraries serve the public good and help create community. They deserve our support.

Barbara Bald

Warwick