To the editor:

 We moved to Fayetteville a few years ago and bought a house in the village because of its proximity to the Fayetteville Free Library. Friends had urged us to visit the library even before we moved, speaking enthusiastically about the beautiful space and the library’s impressive program offerings. Now we are such frequent visitors to the library that we feel like it is a second home to us. When I was asked to serve on the library’s Board of Trustees recently, I jumped at the chance to support this important institution.

Over 90 percent of Americans say public libraries are important to their community (according to the Pew Research Center), but many are underfunded and fail to meet the needs of their patrons. Communities suffer when libraries cannot afford to offer basic services like summer reading programs and access to the latest computer technology.

We are lucky to have a library that not only offers basic services but also builds community and enhances the skills of community members. What other library of our size has a “Fab Lab” where the young and old alike can learn how to use 3D printers? Or a “Don’t Sew It Alone” program where experienced seamstresses teach others how to sew? Just recently, my daughter signed up for a weeklong “Geek Girls Camp” where she will engage in hands-on activities that show how math and science operate in the real world (for just $35!). Only a library with a vision, experienced staff, and adequate resources could offer such a program.

I feel fortunate to live in a community that values public institutions like the Fayetteville Free Library. I urge voters to show their support for the library by going to the polls on May 16 and voting in favor of the library’s budget.

Sarah Pralle

Fayetteville