3 minute read
Opinion: Our library needs sustainable, stable reliable funding
Publisher, Fran Zankowski Circulation Manager, Cal Winn
EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief, Caitlin Rockett Arts & Culture Editor, Jezy J. Gray General Assignment Reporter, Will Matuska Food Editor, John Lehndorff Intern, Chad Robert Peterson
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Oct. 6, 2022
Volume XXX, number 8
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welcomes your correspondence via email (letters@boulderweekly.com). Preference will be given to short letters (under 300 words) that deal with recent stories or local issues, and letters may be edited for style, length and libel. Letters should include your name, address and telephone number for verifcation. We do not publish anonymous letters or those signed with pseudonyms. Letters become the property of Boulder Weekly and will be published on our website. We all know that Pearl Street and the Flatirons are icons of our city. ese locations serve as a welcoming pad for thousands of tourists each year, but for locals, the library is where you nd the heart of Boulder. It is truly one of the perks of living in this city, and, in particular, its makerspace, BLDG61, is truly special among all it o ers. However, declining sales tax receipts, bouncing budgets, and sta ng cuts have limited the opportunities it is able to o er the community.
When it opened in 2016, many people were not sure what role a makerspace should/could play in a public library. Many asked if it was the library’s role to provide maker-based education. anks to the vision of the library director, his sta and support from the Boulder Library
Our library needs sustainable, Foundation, BLDG61 was launched and quickly became one of the most popular library resourcstable, reliable funding es. Now only a few years later, cities across our state have followed suit. is model of hands-on by Steven Frost education has become a norm, and for many cities, Boulder was the model to follow. is type of progressive programming requires sustained support. Sadly, bouncing budgets and sta ng cuts have limited the hours of operation and growth of BLDG61. When my husband and I moved to Boulder in 2015 for jobs at CU, I only had a few friends in Colorado. While the school provided me with a new community, nding my place in the city was di cult. I describe myself as an indoor cat in a city of mountain dogs. Boulder was the third place I moved to in less than 10 years. I wanted to put down roots, but it was tough to nd my people here. In February 2016, as the makerspace was about to open, I ran into a library employee and we started talking about a project I was part of in California called the Sewing Rebellion. She asked me if I’d like to bring it to Boulder and host it in the makerspace. I said yes and before I knew
