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services? When can local teachers and parents that home-school their children be <br />assured that sufficient resources will be available for the spring semester curricula? Will <br />we need to tell our volunteers we don't have adequate workspace for them? Can the <br />Friends count on having space in which to hold our annual book sale fundraiser? <br />My colleagues in the Friends and I are eager to help in any way we can to <br />resolve not only this short-term issue, but also to address the long-term viability of the <br />library. I am grateful for the willingness of the Commissioners and County Managers to <br />meet with citizens groups such as the Friends and work with us as we move forward <br />with purpose and perseverance toward this important and worthwhile goal." <br />Jeff Schmidt said that he is involved with numerous civic and service <br />organizations in the County. Of all the volunteer activities, the most rewarding is with <br />Pathways Elementary School, assisting first-graders with reading. He encourages them <br />to read as much as possible and for them to get a library card. He is afraid that with the <br />planned changes to the library, that his first-graders' opportunity to use this library may <br />be limited. He said that the front meeting room where children's programs are held is <br />planned far reduced usage. This space also is used as storage capacity for the library's <br />only fundraising group. He said that the news media has a lot of coverage about the <br />concerns for the highest quality education that can be provided to our children. The <br />library is a direct asset to further the education of all. He said that we should be finding <br />ways to enhance the capabilities of this asset and not shrink its size. <br />Robin Staudt said that the Orange County library is an important part of the <br />community in Orange County. It is for many of the underprivileged in this County their <br />only link to computer access and varied reading materials. The library is the one source <br />of unrestricted access to their outside world. She said that the Orange County library <br />staff has worked diligently for a long time in cramped quarters to provide the best <br />services for the public, yet they are extremely under-funded and treated by the Board as <br />an annoyance. They are also getting their space cut and the County citizens pay taxes <br />to support the library, and it reaches far more citizens than any other function in County <br />government. She said that the citizens deserve better treatment from this Board. She <br />gave some background on her experiences with the library system. She told of a story <br />of a playwright who began skipping school and going to the library. The playwright <br />wrote the most noted play about Black American life - "Fences." <br />Chair Brown recognized Boy Scout Troop 822 that was in attendance to <br />observe the Commissioner's meeting for their merit badge far citizenship in the <br />community. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis made reference to the library concerns and said that <br />he would like feedback at their next meeting about the rumor of less space. He said <br />that it is very difficult to take a building that is in excess of 75 years old and try to retrofit <br />it to meet the standards and to meet Cade issues. They also had to deal with bats. <br />These things cause delays. The Board understands the importance of libraries and he <br />would like an update from the County Manager. <br />John Link said that he had a good conversation with Ms. Booher and he said <br />that some space that is lost is far computers and there are some functions that were <br />