To the Editor:

If you are a voter in the Ogdensburg School District, the Ogdensburg Public Library needs your help. A separate item on the district budget ballot proposes providing $50,000 in much needed support for the library.

This year the City of Ogdensburg cut backing for the library by almost $40,000. Similar pressures await in the years ahead.

Library patrons visited over 53,000 times last year and checked out 68,000 items with a market value of over $1 million.

The additional cost to folks in the city to fund this referendum has been estimated to be under $9 per year in additional tax. That’s a very potent return on a small investment!

For all but the very rich, libraries are a great value for the money. If you’re a borrower think about what it would have cost you to buy all the books, magazines and movies you borrowed from the library last year.

Studies show about 1 in 4 families don’t have internet access at home. It’s free at the library along with many other services.

The budget vote will be held on Tuesday May 16. Please support the library – and our community – by voting yes.

Ed LaVarnway and Eel Weir

Ogdensburg