“In these uncertain times”: Are you as tired of hearing that as we are? With businesses reopening under unfamiliar restrictions; new, complex ways of socializing and sharing arts and music; and the ongoing challenge of finding different ways to navigate our world, we are all emotionally and mentally exhausted.
It is understandable that so many feel helpless.
However, here we are. And here Tompkins County Public Library is. Although it may look different—staff smiles covered by masks, curbside pickup, limited hours—the Library remains a trusted, constant resource.
As always, TCPL offers reliable resources and expert guidance to help find the information you need. Today, as always, your public library offers a sense of community and mutual respect for the exchange of ideas, these days mostly in online forums. Books, DVDs, magazines, and more are still available, to help occupy time, expand horizons, and brighten moods. And when you need to escape to the great outdoors, TCPL continues to offer NY State Empire passes for patrons to borrow.
The difference now is that these services come with additional expenses. Materials must be quarantined and disinfected before being passed on to the next borrower. Curbside pickup necessitates extra training and protections for staff. Continuous cleaning and sanitizing take time, staff, and money.
And these expenses are coming at a time when resources are being reduced. Along with many other local organizations, TCPL has had county funding slashed for the remainder of 2020 and further cuts are proposed for 2021. Less funding means that the Library must make difficult choices to continue to stay true to its mission of providing access to reliable information for all. In financially uncertain times, it is essential that TCPL is there for those who need the Library most.
To keep TCPL and the community strong—to ensure that the flow of reliable information remains free and readily available—we need your help.
A gift from you affirms your belief in the ideal of unfettered access to information for everybody. Your support can help maintain CDC-recommended protocols for TCPL patrons as they pick up and return materials, and it can help support the increased availability of programming and materials online. Together we find ourselves in this unprecedented situation, and together we will persevere.
Today, we ask for your support--we ask you to stand with TCPL.
In gratitude,
Suzanne Smith Jablonski, Executive Director
