I have lived in West Milford for 19 years. I am writing to you today concerning the proposed building of a new library, which I whole-heartedly support.
For all of my life I have loved books. Before I could read I was read to, and now reading has become a sort of passion for me. This is a quality that is not only rare in my generation, but which our country �all levels of government as well as the educational system � is desperately trying to promote in America�s youth. However, one truth I cannot over-emphasize is that the reading material will ultimately make the reader. If children are not exposed to interesting and engaging material, they will not fully realize that reading can be even more entertaining and transporting than the televisions to which they have become glued.
West Milford is at least 30 to 45 minutes away from any significant stores and large malls. While I do not despair of this as many of my peers do, I am grateful for the natural peacefulness that has been maintained in this Highlands region.� I quite clearly see the benefit of having easily-accessible educational materials: books.
Some of my most cherished childhood memories consist of walks I would take with my mother to the Shoprite shopping center where there was once a quaint little book shop (where there is now a recently-expanded liquor store; show me the justice in the death of literature while alcohol thrives). With the disappearance of the book shop, the library was elevated to the position of sole book provider to the people of West Milford, quite literally, for miles around. Unfortunately, the library itself did not rise to the challenge. There is simply not enough room with the current conditions for it to do so.
My first encounter with the classics, years ago now, was with Jane Austen�s Pride and Prejudice. This work set me on my quest to read as many of the classics as I could fit into my lifetime. Thankfully, I was able to find many of these elsewhere (driving forty-five minutes to Barnes and Noble , for instance, which many in this town cannot afford to do very often). Quite frankly, I was appalled, utterly astonished, when only a couple of weeks ago I scanned the library shelves for some familiar, beloved titles and I realized just how poor the collection is. Were you aware that of the witty and insightful Jane Austen�s six finished novels, only two grace the shelves of our library? Or that of all three of the Bront� sisters� groundbreaking works, only one book from one sister is represented: Jane Eyre. Dickens� section is mercifully larger, but in proportion to the vast collection he authored, it is scarcely more impressive than the example we currently have of Miss Austen�s literary contributions. I did not check to see if the works of these authors were in storage,� just as students in the middle and high schools who have not previously been exposed to these ingenious writers would not know to ask a librarian for them, as they simply browse the shelves for something new to read. Furthermore, even when I despairingly turned to the computerized card catalog (a last resort) I was unable to procure any satisfactory results for the search term �Tennyson� excepting a thin, eighty- something page Dover Thrift Edition of his selected poems, which was inconveniently concealed in �storage.� Absolutely no results were returned in my search for the passionate and eloquent poet, Cowper.
I certainly find no fault with the library staff. All of the shelves are stocked to capacity, but more room is required to accommodate a collection of the quality that West Milford residents deserve. Without this availability of books, many will resort to downloading books online (if they take the trouble to read at all). However, this concerns me as technology can be both addictive and detrimental to ones health. Many are currently suffering from migraines and vision impairment as a result of staring at screens all day long.
In sum, it is quite obvious to me, and to anyone who shares in my love of literature, that our current library is not sufficient either to satisfy those who are already avid reader, nor to successfully draw in upcoming generations into a deeper love and appreciation of classical literature. A new, larger, more accommodating library is in the interest of all, and is, indeed, necessary. It is an investment in the education and quality of life of the people of West Milford. The plans are there. The funds are there. The support must be there as well, or all is for nothing and will be lost in the �red tape� so-to-speak of our government. An issue so simple as this � to retain ignorance or to promote the expansion of the mind � ought not to be deliberated over for too long. Let not a generation be lost to the advantages and enjoyments of the literary world.
Please remember that I am a voter. My votes are with the ones who vote, decide, support, act. My support is for the library.
I hope yours is too.
Charlene M. Oselador
West Milford