To the Editor:

Senator Hanna Gallo’s opponent, Eileen Grossman, must not have entered a Cranston library in a very long time – to her disadvantage. Ms. Grossman claims “most of the homes have computers. The shorter hours [proposed by the library board if funding was not maintained] are no hardship to our residents. People can go to Providence or Warwick if Cranston library is closed.”

This statement came from the minutes of the Cranston Finance Committee Meeting on April 23, 2009.

Cranston’s libraries are filled with fabulous books for reading, learning and expanding our lives. Our libraries offer a multitude of programs for all ages – whether your interest is books, movies or music.

To minimize our libraries to a research tool neglects all the options offered by Cranston’s library system. Yes, the library even offers access to computers for those not as fortunate as Ms. Grossman, who may not be able to purchase a computer or cannot afford Internet access. As a child, if I did not have access to a library, I don’t believe my love for reading and learning would have developed, nor my horizons expanded beyond my limited world. My home did not have an abundance of books, nor did we have a car to travel to the next city to go to a library.

Thank goodness, Cranston has Senator Hanna Gallo who understands the necessity and importance of our libraries and educating our children, exposing our population to other ideas and worlds, and, especially, the magic of books. Senator Gallo has also been a leading proponent of developing a school funding formula, which was successfully passed this legislative session and results in a fairer formula for funding schools from our state tax dollars. The new funding formula should result in a lesser real estate tax burden on Cranston taxpayers. Again, thank you Senator Gallo.

Cindy Fogarty

Cranston