The Hot Sulphur Springs library is not just a building, it is the life blood of this community

HSS citizens eagerly assist in the library with inventory, shelving, solving minor computer problems and glitches and assisting with and conducting children’s programs. Volunteers are at hand to help Wednesday afternoons when the school bus arrives and off hop the after school kids, who enthusiastically and politely enjoy the single day per week that the library is open after 4 p.m. During about 50 minutes the library is their club house, it’s their hangout.

The book club no longer meets at the library because of our severely cut hours For a while, club members were told the librarian could not order in books specifically for book club. The reason – “it took up too much staff time”. That practice ended, but it occurred and it stung. Off the cuff remarks that Hot Sulphur people have to go to the grocery store or conduct business in Granby, so we can use the Granby library are whimsical justifications, not sound reasons. We pay taxes to the District, and we expect service from that District if only at the current level until the economy improves. Budget tightening does not necessitate lopping off an entire library branch, especially the one that has experienced the most severe cut backs. We have raised funds through our annual pie sale to support the library system. We are active participants, yet every District cut back has been most severe to Hot Sulphur Springs. Closing our library is asking and taking away too much from this community.

Marla J. Gall

Hot Sulphur Springs