Henry--Surely there is other office space that the Urban League can rent/own in Springfield, but the library is unique. Sure the Urban League does good work, but the place that a library holds in a community is very special. Mya Angelou said that there were 2 things that made her the woman she became; one was her grandmother, and the other was the Sparks, Arkansas library where she read every book.

Henry, I have to tell you that I haven't heard ANYONE say that they think that this is a good deal for Springfield. I also haven't heard anyone say that they think that you are acting in the best interests of the City. I do not believe that you will be held in the same high esteem if you continue with the purchase of the Mason Square Library. No matter what you say, you
will not be providing a full-service library. And, if it is a fact that Mason Square has the smallest circulation of any of the branches, then it seems to me that the Urban League will exacerbate that fact, AND add to the illiteracy in Springfield. The Urban League should be doing everything it can to increase the circulation at the library, not decrease it.

Belle Rita Novak