During a recent legislative committee hearing, a discussion compared the importance of fire departments to that of libraries. I have always disliked political maneuvering that pits public services and servants against each other. Still too clear in my mind are memories of the Lincoln Fire Department's quest for back pay and comparable wages. When the firefighters won what was due them, city management used it as a reason for not supporting wage increases in other city departments. By attempting to put city departments on opposing sides, adversaries are created when a partnership is what's really needed.
Libraries are just as essential to communities as fire departments, medical care and roads.
That does not mean we want to take their funding or support. Every citizen has a right to basic services for the public good. And, doggone it, libraries do serve the public good. It is criminal to ask citizens to place priorities on vital services, with the outcome being that the service with the short straw loses. If my house were on fire you can bet I'd want the services of a fire department.