Connecticut western news., 1910-04-21
CANAAN LIBRARY
 CHANGES WANTED
VIEWS EXPRESSED BY PATRONS


 change the New England Lime Com
 pany Building for Present Library
 Property and $2,00O Discussed.
 THE NEWS reported last week the in- formal meeting of those interested in. a library proposition and this meeting has evidently aroused 8 variety of opinions as to the proper disposition of the prob lem.
 The subject of improved library facili- ties should be one of interest to every person in town, and the present agitation will, we hope. result in something, if no more than the exchange of ideas. The columns of THE NEWS are always open to those who wish to express their views on any subject of interest to the public. We are glad to publish the letters below, and would be pleased to receive others from those who have arguments either for or against the acceptance of MT. Manvel's proposition. EDITOR NEWS: .r
 As every taxpayer in a town has a right to say his say on. matters coucern- ing him, either directly or indirectly, we wish therefore to say our say on the new library question which is agitating the community iu which we live
 In saying our say we know that some will, and do think as we do. and some do not. It is always that way, of course. We know that a larger building for a library is greatly needed. The books have outgrown, so to speak, the old one. The Canaan people living at one end of the village want the New England Lime office building turned into library; others think it is too much out of the way, which is true. And it is not fire proof, which library should be. The town is too much ill debt to build a new library, or a new town hall, or to have any added expenses at present. So, as we look at it, the proposed scheme of turning the at one time lime offices into a library seems the cheapest way to obtain 8 larger building for the books that almost overflow the old one, but we do not like the location. It is not convenient for the greater number of people. We should have meeting ap- pointed at the town hall and sufficient length of time given the notice to enable more of us to find out about It. Only a few knew when or where the recent meeting was to be held. It is quite possible that there may have been. pres ent at that meeting those who may have had too strong personal interest in the perfectly natural, of course. We all wish that our surroundings may be advantageous and pleasant to our selves. No one questions the desirabllits of having a good library on our street, but public library is for the public and should be placed for the convenience of the many, not for that of the few. That the New England Lime office building is now unused does not prove that it is the best place and building for a public library.
 Wait awhile. Let this good old town of ours get it's second wind and then we will tear down the old hall and have a new town hall and library combined. That site is the proper place for such a buildlng-as central as possible. If that should never be considered practical, then why not sometime accept the gift of land, offered by generous woman, upon which to build a good fire-proof library. This piece of land \ is, far less to one side than the building and lot now under consideration, and there is room on the site for beautiful grounds to be lad out. as the townspeople might wish. Don't let us make the mistake of choosing the New England Lime office that half and more of the people don t want, anyhow-for our Canaan library. To raise two thousand dollars by sub- scription is not to be thought of, when the price of living is so high that the food in our mouths tastes stronger of money than anything else. When We most of us at least-have paid our taxes, honest debts, store, feed, doctor and blacksmith's bills, we don't seem to have lot of money left for subscriptions.
 One thing more. A building especially designed, planned and built for an especial purpose is always more satls- factory in every way than made-over- into-something-els one.
 A LIBRARY HABITUE.