It’s the personal touch at the Renton Public Library that makes it so unique. The library staff is very responsive to the needs of their patrons, acquiring needed materials and the waiting time for bestsellers is greatly reduced. It is the wealth of knowledge of our Renton staff that makes the Renton Library special. The King County Library System moves their people around and we would lose the personal touch of getting to know our librarians. Yes, the King County Library System has greater resources but with a reciprocal-use agreement in place, Renton patrons have the best of both worlds. As to the money issue (and one always hears “What’s the bottom line?) will the City of Renton, which pays currently for the library out of its general fund, reduce the taxes they already collect from Renton residents to compensate us or will we be seeing a new line item on our property tax statement called “library?” Hence, higher taxes for us all, or is it that the library will save Renton’s budget? I am voting for the personal touch and keeping “Renton Ahead of the Curve.”

Judith E. White

Renton