(Editor's note: This letter is in response to an earlier letter from M. Kent titled, "Quit whining about libraries," posted on Jan. 16)

Calling citizens whiners who are asking that a 2004 library building bond passed unanimously with their help become a reality is disrespectful of their rights in a democracy.

In this bond the White Center Library is to be expanded and the Boulevard Park Library improved. The King County Library System (KCLS) is using a fine print clause to escape out of this commitment. The survey they conducted to make this decision was biased and unfair. Our 2000+ petition revealed that many citizens in these two neighborhoods were completely unaware that their libraries would be closing and strongly oppose it.

In a democracy, the voters or citizens have the final voice, not a board of trustees and a library director who are appointed and not elected officials. They should not be changing a bond unless citizens directly affected by it agree. Future bonds will not get support if this is the kind of result that happens.

Why are the citizens of these two communities fighting so hard to keep their libraries in their neighborhoods? Because walking access is a necessity, not a convenience, in their high poverty communities. How does a consolidated library one mile south of the White Center Library and closer to the Burien Library improve access? Boulevard Park citizens must cross over Highway 509. Their library is one of the only positive assets in their community.

I do not know how the statistics for car ownership was derived. I do know that the four White Center public schools (White Center Elementary, Mount View Elementary, Cascade Middle and Evergreen High) are within walking distance to the White Center Library.

Over 85 percent of the students in the two elementary and middle schools qualify for free/reduced lunch compared to the Highline district average of 69 percent. Many of their homes lack adequate studying spaces, computers and other resources needed for school success.

Students depend on their community library for learning help and find it a safe, dependable, after school place rather than roam the neighborhood unsupervised.

For the past two years there was no school library budget and this year only $1.25 was allotted per student. School personnel understand the importance of a community library. The Highline Board of Directors recently passed a two-page Resolution 2479 formally opposing the closure of the two libraries.

We should be providing our students every opportunity to succeed and become responsible citizens. Many of my former students pay taxes and give back to their communities.

The White Center Library was an important resource in their development accessible only because they could walk to it. High poverty adult citizens, lacking cars, bus fare or computers, use their public library for job searches and get help for resumes.

What about the Greenbridge Library? Visit this small lending library and you will see how inadequate it is to provide full library services. Space is too limited to supply enough computers, materials, library staff, etc.

White Center and Boulevard Park have a rich cultural diversity of citizens with high potential to be positive contributors of our communities. They need our support until they climb out of poverty. An accessible community library offers them resources for themselves and their families.

Lucy Krakowiak’s decision to serve in two capacities is commendable. However, her decision to recuse herself as a library trustee, citing conflict of interest with her council role, is not serving her constituents. If she finds herself conflicted, choosing only one position is recommended.

Finally, the tone and name-calling in M. Kent’s letter is unfortunate because it polarizes rather than encourages us to work together and resolve the national crisis that we must all address: the increasing high numbers of people in poverty and the diminishing numbers in the middle class.

Helping these concentrated numbers of students and adult citizens in the White Center and Boulevard Park communities out of poverty will benefit all of us. An easily accessible community library with good resources is one key element in combating this challenging crisis.

Astha Tada
Community volunteer
Retired Cascade Middle School librarian