Our current library facility has served the residents of Pine Island and surrounding rural areas since 1916. Though it has served us well for nearly 100 years, it is grossly undersized to truly meet our community’s needs. A needs assessment regarding the current library facility was conducted in the fall of 2012. Community members surveyed for this assessment highlighted the following inadequacies of the current library facility:

• Lack of meeting, study, and work spaces for public use
• All programs need to be scheduled outside the library
• Not enough public computer stations or work space around the current stations
• Insufficient storage space
• No proper staff work area

Some residents in our community are of the opinion that public libraries are no longer relevant due to increasing popularity and availability of the Internet and e-books. But the true value of libraries goes far beyond a quiet place to borrow a book.

• Libraries offer knowledge, experience, assistance, access and opportunities for all ages and abilities.
• Libraries are important because they provide the public with opportunities and resources, such as internet wireless network access, computers, printers, fax machines, scanners, assistance in finding and applying for government assistance or finding job opportunities and applying for them online.
• Libraries offer unique activities that bring people together socially and intellectually with children, youth, family and adult programs.
• In the U.S. libraries are visited in person or online by 72% of Americans. There are more public libraries in the US than McDonald’s locations.
• Libraries are one of the great levelers for our society. They provide tools to help people to empower themselves.
• Libraries are a community resource center with newspapers, magazines, property and historical records, etc.
• Libraries can provide a gathering space for community gatherings from small group to one-on-one tutor lessons, business meetings or presentations.

Though the Mayor and City Council of Pine Island are aware of the current library facility’s inadequacies, they need to hear from residents that a new, larger facility is a priority to the community.

Please sign this petition to indicate your support of a new library facility:

https://www.change.org/p/mayor-and-city-council-of-pine-island-mn-pine-island-needs-a-new-larger-library-facility

We also encourage you to contact them directly regarding this issue. Feel free to use any of the information or statistics provided in this petition – but also please add your personal experiences/opinions about why a new, larger library facility is important to you. Contact information for the Mayor and City Council members can be found on the City’s website:http://cc.pineislandmn.com/city council.asp. Thank you for your support!