Libraries can be life-changing; vote ‘yes’ in Lake Stevens

Published 1:30 am Sunday, January 22, 2017

A library building changed my life. Admittedly, it was a boyhood crush on a librarian that drew me in, but the inviting space and encouragement to explore were what kept me coming back. In the neighborhood where I grew up, that library was the only place of quality that actually welcomed kids like me and gave us a sense that we belonged. I’m forever grateful to the citizens of my old hometown who invested in libraries for themselves and for the future.

Now it’s time to return the favor in my new community, Lake Stevens. Our current library is completely inadequate for the services it offers now and is hopelessly out-of-date for our future. The irony is that Lake Stevens is one of the most inviting and dynamic cities in Snohomish County, but you’d never know it to look at our public buildings, especially our library.

The good news is that for the cost of a couple bagels per month we can build a terrific new library in a great location. A new library will help define Lake Stevens as a town that values its citizens enough to provide a quality space for learning and community engagement.

Please join me in voting yes for both measures on the Feb. 14 ballot to build a new library in Lake Stevens.

Abe Martinez

Lake Stevens