Legislators encouraged to continue support for library
By Steve Herring
Published in News on March 8, 2017 9:44 AM
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Cash King, 16 months, and state Sen. Don Davis color following the Friday morning children's reading program at Steele Memorial Library in Mount Olive. At left is Cash's mother, Ashley King of Calypso.
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News-Argus/STEVE HERRING
Library supporters Lynn Williams, second from right, and Shirley Evans, right, talk about the importance of libraries during a Friday morning meeting with local state legislators at Steele Memorial Library in Mount Olive. From left are Sen. Louis Pate, Rep. Jimmy Dixon, Sen. Don Davis, Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Evans.
sherring@newsargus.com
MOUNT OLIVE -- Cash King didn't seem to notice or care that the new kid at his table was too big for the seat he had crunched onto.
Cash, 16 months, simply began sharing his crayons with the new kid, state Sen. Don Davis, as they colored a page of zoo animals.
Davis of Snow Hill, Sen. Louis Pate and Rep Jimmy Dixon, both of Mount Olive, were at Steele Memorial Library Friday morning for the Wayne County Public Library System's Day in the District. Rep. John Bell had a conflict and sent his apologies for being unable to attend.
The day was part of a statewide initiative which allows public libraries across North Carolina an opportunity to meet with state legislators and local officials and to showcase how the library is meeting needs of the local community.
"During their visit to our library legislators had the opportunity to see firsthand how the library is making a difference," Wayne County Library Director Donna Phillips said.
Part of the library's strategic plan is to promote lifelong learning, and it serves all ages from babies to senior citizens, librarian Melanie Powell said.
During their two-hour visit, legislators were able to observe pre-school children participating in library story programming and a basic computer education class for senior adults.
Legislators talked to the children's parents and heard how they feel children's library programming is supporting their children's early learning.
The seniors sang the praises of their computer instructor, reference assistant Paige Newcomb, and told legislators how much they value the opportunity to gain technology skills in a non-threatening environment at their public library.
Mrs. Phillips presented legislators with an infographic providing a snapshot of how public libraries are used in Wayne County.
She thanked them for their support and explained how the library, and all public libraries in the state, rely on the State Aid for Public Libraries program.
In asking for their continued support of public libraries, library staff demonstrated the newly released NCKids Digital Library.
This library resource allows children to use their library card to access 3,700 ebooks, audiobooks, videos and read along books, of which 300 of these titles are for simultaneous use.
With a library card library, users can access NC LIVE and have access to ebooks, audiobooks, journals, on-line magazines, videos and more.
Dixon questioned who is responsible for monitoring the content of the publications.
That is done by a group of librarians that look at grade-level reading, Mrs. Phillips said.
"I think that we have to be careful," Dixon said. "There are a lot of special interest groups that understand very well that as the twig is bent so grows the tree, and the content is enormously important. I have seen some instances ... but the content that we are giving these young kids is very important."
The library does not and cannot assume the role of parent when it comes to the selection of materials in the library, Mrs. Phillips said.
"We can't because my values may be different from your values," she said. "Your values may be different than that person's values. The public library has to have materials for all. We all know that. I don't assume that I know what is best for your children. We want the parent always to be responsible for their children."
It is very important that children have physical experiences with books that they can't get from electronics, Dixon said.
"On the issue of content, the proposition is not to censor," he said. "One cannot do good without the opportunity to do bad. It is a very simple principle -- there must be opposition in all things.
"The thing that I am talking about is the craftiness of man in the very subtle ways of desensitizing folks to move from one cultural perspective to another."
Lynn Williams, who helped spearhead efforts to raise $350,000 to help get the library built, said she has a tremendous amount of pride in and passion for the library.
"I think what it has brought to this community ... it is really a cultural center for the community," she said. "It brings people together of similar interest -- folks who want to learn the computer; folks who want a new hobby; folks who just enjoy the reading and being together.
"All of these things come about because of the books. But we are not necessarily a facility of books. As technology changes, this library was designed to accommodate those changes, which really means that the whole world is opened up to those who come here and use these facilities."
Assistant Police Chief Linda Tyson said she was first invited to the library two years ago when she joined the police department.
She now comes on a weekly basis.
"This library means so much to the police department," she said. "We come over on numerous occasions when they have children's events. It lets us get to meet our kids in the community."
That is particularly true in the summer, when children have no place to go and nothing to do and parents are at work, she said.
Over those two years the library has been instrumental in changing the town and getting those children off the streets, Ms. Tyson said.
The rules for respect have been set down at the library as well, she said.
"This is our workplace where we get to know our children," she said. "We get to meet them. Our kids love the library. They don't want to do anything that is going to cause them to get into any trouble.
"This is the rock of Mount Olive. I know. I come here. You are just visiting. I see it every week. Kids get upset if they cannot come into this library. We do everything for our children. This is an awesome place. This library is more than just a library it is a cultural center for everybody."
Patrons come from Duplin and Sampson counties because those areas do not offer anything like what is available at Steele Memorial, Ms. Tyson and Mrs. Powell said.
"What we try to do with this day in the district is to let you all hear from your constituent and see how the money you help allocate toward State Aid to Public Libraries is really benefiting the citizens of all of our communities across the state," Mrs. Phillips told the legislators. "We want to thank you for that and ask you to go back to Raleigh and see that there is money allocated to the Department Natural and Cultural Resources and designated for public libraries.
"I know you all understand this, but education is the key to doing better in life. Public libraries are part of the very fabric of education."