Cache County Library: The Cache County Council has proposed closing the Cache County Library. If you would like to voice your opinion, please call our representative, Mr. David Erickson, at (435) 770-0283.  The following is a counterproposal from a concerned county citizen: Cache County Library Proposal 10/20/2025  To the Honorable Members of the Cache County Council and City Council Members,  I am writing as a resident of Cache County who cares deeply about education, reading, community access and the future of our county, and I write to urge you to reject the proposal to defund the Cache County Library in the 2026 budget, and instead to commit to creating a truly cooperative library system that serves all 30,000+ residents of Cache County equitably.  Why this matters: Our library is more than a building full of books: it is a foundational investment in: – Literacy and learning for our children, a place where youth of all backgrounds can access books, resources, digital tools, homework help and a safe space to explore.   – Lifelong learning for adults, residents who want to improve job prospects, learn new skills, explore new ideas, and engage in civic life.   – Services for seniors and families, including those who rely on free library access for information, community programming, digital access, and connection.   – Equity and access, ensuring that everyone, regardless of income or location, has the same opportunities to learn and grow.   – Community strength, offering a hub for storytelling, cultural events, inter-generational connections, and civic engagement.  According to the Cache County Library’s own mission, they “promote, enhance, and provide access to library services for all residents of Cache County… we encourage equity in access to basic library services across the county.” They provide important digital resources through platforms such as Libby, along with other online supports. Yet now the proposed budget cut threatens to obliterate that access for thousands of residents.  Why a cooperative system makes sense: Rather than cutting funding and retreating, this is an opportunity to expand and improve how we provide library services. I urge you to consider a model like the Chemeketa Cooperative Regional Library Service (CCRLS) in Oregon. In their model: – Residents in the service area are eligible for a “Basic” card at no cost.   – Member libraries pool resources, share catalogs, ebooks, interlibrary borrowing, and staff support.   – They provide services for readers, students, teachers, businesses, genealogists, and travelers through a unified catalog.   – This model creates cost-efficiency, better resource allocation, and stronger service coverage through cooperation.  Before moving back to Cache County, I lived in Salem, Oregon, where I personally saw the CCRLS system in action. It proved that regional cooperation benefits everyone by strengthening individual libraries through shared access and funding.  Another local model worth noting is Salt Lake County Library Services, which serves the residents of Salt Lake County through 18 branches and dozens of community programs. In 2024 the system circulated over 12.5 million items, making it one of the top 10 highest-circulating library systems of its kind in the United States. This scale of service demonstrates what a well-funded, cooperative, countywide library system can achieve: strong community usage, efficient resource sharing, and broad public value. We should aspire to the same kind of reach and impact here in Cache County.  If Cache County adopted a cooperative countywide library system, we could: – Ensure consistent access to library services for all residents instead of a patchwork system.   – Leverage scale for digital resources, e-books, lending, and programming.   – Expand outreach into rural and underserved areas.   – Build broader public support for sustainable funding.   – Offer residents visible, meaningful value for their tax dollars.  My family, and many others, would gladly pay a bit more in taxes to make such a system possible.  My requests to the Council are simple: 1. Reject the proposal to defund the county library.   2. Develop a countywide cooperative library system that ensures equitable service for all residents.   3. Engage the public in the planning process to include city libraries and community voices.   4. Budget sustainably to protect and grow this essential public service.   5. Strengthen, not weaken, access to education and information for all.  Closing: The library is a pillar of education, connection, and opportunity in Cache County. Defunding it would set our community back, but investing in a cooperative system would move us forward. Please act with vision and commitment to ensure that every resident has the tools and access they need to learn, grow, and thrive.  Thank you for your service and your time.  Sincerely,   Shelly Nazer   [email protected]   (801) 898-0008

Month: November 2023