Statement made by Felix Arroyo, At-Large City Councillor:

“Clearly, there is something pretty important happening in our city as it relates to libraries. I want to state as clearly as possible; the more and more I think about this, I am at the position where I cannot support the closing of libraries without understanding why this is happening. Frankly, I do not think I can sit here as an elected member of this body and tell you I understand why this is happening. I know there are people in the community who care about these libraries who could not tell you why it is happening.

Also, I cannot support it without feeling like every single cost cutting measure that was possible—whether we deem it as symbolic, trivial or large—have been explored before we have gotten to the point of closing the libraries.

That being said, I do not support the closing of libraries because I have not yet been convinced of either of those things yet.

Growing up in the city, this is the only city that I have ever known. The libraries to me play an important role in my life. I remember the joy when my mother would bring me to the Hyde Park library as a kid. To me, I had no idea it was an educational experience. It was like a field trip when I went. As I completed my Master’s Degree in 2007, were it not for the people at the Copley Library helping me and walking me through my many research projects, I would not have been able to complete it. And those were every day working people helping me. When we are talking about closing libraries, we are not only talking about the loss in the community of that treasure, we are also talking about the working men and women who gave their life to the city and are being told in this short period of time that their livelihood is at stake. They do not know why. I do not think that is appropriate.

I am also not ridiculous. I know how to look at math. I know numbers have to add up. I get that, but I want to agree with my colleagues in this hearing who have stated it earlier. This is not enough time. I do not believe two months is enough time to develop an answer to these questions. My ideal situation is we would find a way for these questions to be dealt with in a reasonable period of time and be more transparent—open to the public, with the workers, with the over 300,000 members of the library that have taken out library cards. They are all a part of this conversation figuring out what is the best way of delivering services, what is the best to make this budget balance, what is the best way to raise revenue. Until we get to that point, I think I have made my position as clear as I could possibly have made it.”

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