Why am I voting yes for the new Brookfield library? First and foremost, a new modern library will serve every age group of our village from children to teens to adults and seniors with more space and more services.
A library is the hub of the community that not only educates, but provides events, programs and endless opportunities for all that choose to enter the doors and take advantage of everything they have to offer.
I realize we already have a library and it looks nice from the outside, but inside it’s outdated, too small for Brookfield’s population, doesn’t provide enough space for groups or private work, is inadequate in many ways including handicap accessibility, lack of parking spots and the list continues.
I’ve been following and advocating for the new library on social media and it’s been an eye-opening experience. Here are some of the question and statements from people about the library: Why do you need rooms for arts and crafts and studying; don’t you already have that in the schools? Why can’t you have your child tutored in your home? Why can’t the library just be a library? Everything is on the internet now, we don’t need libraries anymore. Buy your kid an iPad, it will be cheaper.
The truth about libraries these days is that they’ve evolved into more than a place to house books, and if you take the time to visit a modern one you’ll see what a wonderful resource they can be.
Yes, taxes will go up some, but I also believe our property values will rise with a new modern library and I’ve read several statistics online that support this claim. As an investor in real estate, I like to buy property in towns that are continuing to improve and Brookfield seems to be doing just that.
Neighboring La Grange is an example of how a town can grow and evolve for the better, which is a process that doesn’t happen overnight.
It’s time for a new library in Brookfield; the architectural renderings look amazing and I encourage you to vote yes.
John Scaletta
Brookfield
