May 31, 2000

Never give up! Never surrender!

About the time I would normally have been reading Nick Leone's critical letter disagreeing with some portions of my May third column on libraries, I was walking between the stone lions that flank the entrance to the New York Public Library. It's appropriate their nicknames are "Patience" and "Fortitude." They ignore completely the constant flock of pigeons parking on their backs. Library lovers in Pacifica, among which I include both Nick Leone and myself, and a large number of other good folk, need plenty of both patience and fortitude. Because of my visit to New York I did not read Nick's letter until two weeks after publication.

Unfortunately Nick confuses my different approach and my different priorities with ignorance. No, Nick, it isn't that I don't understand you. It's that I don't agree with you. You believe certain things about the library situation that I don't. It's as simple as that.

I am both more optimistic and more pessimistic than is Nick. I was there in 1978 when Sanchez Library was saved in a cliffhanger rescue after the world thought it was dead and gone. In fact, this column, by asking some crucial questions and making some crucial suggestions at a critical time, may have triggered the discussion with a member of the Board of Supervisors at an August 1978 meeting of the Pacifica Democrats that led to the changes that saved the library. Four years later I was the MC at the celebration that welcomed the new library building. Incidentally TN high school student and budding comedian Rob Schneider furnished the comic relief. We don't have to accept the loss of one of our libraries. What was saved before can be saved again. We don't have to acquiesce in cutting our libraries to 30 hours a week each. We should have two libraries, at least one of which should be full service Each library should be open at least 50 hours a week and preferably 61. Never give up! Never surrender! Illegitimus non carborundum! I am more pessimistic than Nick because I don't think that a Joint Powers board that won't allow us to keep two libraries with decent hours is going to find the cash for a fine new library when they can't find the money to keep our old libraries open on a decent schedule. If the money isn't there for hours, the money isn't there to build a new building.

It's an indication of just how far Pacifica library lovers have been pushed that Nick and I are in opposition on this situation. Regardless, I, and I'm sure Nick, will be hard at work at the Pacifica Friends of the Library book sale in Linda Mar Shopping Center this weekend. Whether you agree with me or with Nick, or think we're both badly mistaken on this particular subject, I hope you'll donate your excess books and replenish your reading materials at the sale. Both Nick and I agree that the local libraries need all the help they can get, and we both hope that Tribune readers turn out in force to give, to buy, to encourage, and to continue to enjoy the libraries.

Some recent Reactor columns may be found at Paul Azevedo's website, http://www.thereactor.net/ Reach him by e-mail at Paul@thereactor.net