Leslie Beatty: Why I’m running for MBTS Library Trustee

To the Editor,

I’m running for the position of Library Trustee and I’m asking for your vote.
As a retired professional librarian with a Master’s Degree in Information Science, I have knowledge of the challenges and cheers that our local library faces now and in the future. I have served in a law library, done research and writing, and was a middle school librarian and faculty advisor at a private school in Dallas. More importantly, since purchasing our home here now close to twenty years ago, I’ve been volunteering at our library.
I’m a firm believer that a town library is much more than a repository of books and technology. Manchester is lucky to have a superb library in which anyone, of any age, can find appealing books, a helpful staff member, a club and activity that livens the spirit, and a place to let imagination flow.
I have seen Manchester grow and face challenges, and it’s imperative that the library itself do the same. The library has, and will continue to reach out, to make sure that its topnotch service and offerings match the demands of its community, not just for the next year, but far into the future.
Looking to that future, our library will need to serve even more of our community and in many other ways. For instance, reaching out in a concerted way to those who can’t get to the library to offer reading material and book discussions is just one idea. Another is to maintain and add partnerships to community clubs and organizations in order to bring technological skills as well as research familiarity to those interested. Regular snail mail library newsletters would be yet another means of maintaining and improving contact with those who are curious about what the library offers.
Fundraising is ahead, and I’m prepared to help build our library into all it can be. I would bring not only experience and new ideas to the Trustee role, but also excitement for what lies ahead to an incredible venue that unites people, community and ideas in so many ways.
Thank you for your consideration and I would greatly appreciate your vote on May 20.
Leslie Beatty
Manchester