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TOWANDA — The Bradford County Commissioners took public comment on the fate of the Bradford County Library at their meeting on Thursday, Sept. 14.
The meeting opened with recognition of first responders in the local area with awards presented.
Once that was concluded, Commissioner Daryl Miller opened up the floor for visitor comments on agenda items. One of those items was the Library.
Jackie Casselbury, a former employee of the Bradford County Library gave the first remarks.
“I want to ask you, do you remember taking and reading your first book? I don’t think you do.”
Casselbury elaborated on the importance of the Library to the County and how it benefits everyone from youth to adults.
“A lot of the books that the local libraries have are in part due to the county library. We run a van to make sure they get them.
The Commissioners have pledged to repurpose the building into a community center with one of the main needs being an accessible Veterans center.
The currect veterans center in Towanda is claimed to have very little parking access and on a tough grade for disabled veterans to easily access the building.
“If the department of veterans affairs needs a new office, then get them a new office. There is a new office across from the court house in Towanda right now,’ said Leroy resident Matt Jennings.
“It is sad that this has become an us versus them issue regarding the Library and the Veterans office, “ Jennings continued.
Next Veterans Affairs director Pete Miller came to the podium to rebuttle Jennings remarks.
“It is not an us versus them. Im not going to talk budgets, I don’t even want to go there,”said Miller.
The Commissioners have made no formal announcement on any plans to offically close the Bradford County Library.
“We are in the process of forming a community advisory board to study the best use of this facility and make a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners as to how we can best serve the people of Bradford County,” said the Commissioners in a statement releasd last week.
Part of the advisory boards job would be to look at the impact of investing in the counties eight community libraries and strengthing the the bookmobile program.
“What we can’t do is refuse to meet the needs of underserved populations in our County or neglect our fiscal responsibility to the taxpayers who put their faith in us to be stewards of their hard-earned tax dollars,” said the Commissioners in their joint statement.
This is still a developing story. No decision has been made yet on what will happen with the Library.