I’m sure you have seen the articles in the Marietta Daily Journal about Chairman Tim Lee’s proposal to close 13 of Cobb County’s 17 library branches due to the current budget shortfall. As a parent, former educator, avid reader, and lastly, library employee, I feel that this would be a big mistake for our county. Only Mountain View, Central, South Cobb, and West Cobb would remain open. There would be no libraries open in the eastern part of the county. The East Marietta Branch where I work would be closed, as would the brand new East Cobb Branch in the Parkaire shopping center.
There are quite a few folks that come to East Marietta who do not drive, and there is no bus service from that neighborhood to any of these four libraries. How would they get the library services that they need? According to the Marietta Daily Journal, closing the East Cobb Branch would cost the county $500,000 because they would have to break the 20 year lease on the space.
I encourage you, your friends and neighbors to email Chairman Lee and your own commissioners to encourage them to table this proposal and come up with a better plan for our county’s budget problems. The county has also set up a special email for comments. Here is that address: budgetcomments@cobbcounty.org
Please make others in the Piedmont Bend neighborhood aware of these issues and encourage them to let their voices be heard. Also, if any of you can attend the commissioners meeting on Tuesday, April 12th and take a stand for our libraries, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Ali Puch
Please do not even consider this drastic a move in closing these libraries.Not only does this proposal seem drastic in adversely affecting many thousands of people,but it also does not sound cost effective.My wife and I visit a county library every week and have done so for many years for books and especially videos because there is nothing to watch on television.If possible please consider another option.Thank You.