We are deeply saddened and concerned by the recent decision to reduce public financial support of the Indian Valley Public Library by Souderton and Telford Borough Councils. We are also dismayed by reports that some officials in local government are calling for additional cuts in the future. Souderton Area for All firmly supports the Indian Valley Public Library and its mission to facilitate learning across the lifespan for every resident of our community. We also recognize and celebrate the Library for being a welcoming and inclusive place for all members of our community no matter what their ethnicity, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, political orientation, disability, age, or cultural heritage. The Library is the center of information, technology, and learning in our community that lays the foundation for educational and economic opportunity for every resident of the Indian Valley. The Library has seen drastic cuts in funding over the past decade and continued cuts jeopardize its future. Additional cuts would likely result in reduced hours of operation, an inability to recruit and maintain professional employees, and the reduction or elimination of the library’s special programs. Any of these changes would seriously diminish our community as a whole.
Our Library provides free and indispensable resources to members of our community that aren’t available anywhere else. Unfortunately, there is a growing trend among elected officials to politicize libraries by demanding book bans and restricting access to certain material or risk being defunded. Libraries are essential to our democracy, ensure that information and technology is accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay, and provide every member of our community with opportunities for lifelong learning. We must protect our library from partisan political attacks to ensure this generation, like previous generations, has access to a first class public library
Souderton Area for All
