The Hellertown Area Library is located at 409 Constitution Ave. In addition to borough residents, the library served Lower Saucon Township residents until Jan. 1. The township was removed from the library’s service area with permission from the state’s Office of Commonwealth Libraries after the township rejected a new 5-year agreement and then stopped funding the HAL in early 2022. In late December, township officials said they intend to fight their removal in court. (FILE PHOTO)
Dear Editor:
I’m writing to express my concern that the people of Lower Saucon Township no longer have access to a public library. As a “cost-cutting measure,” the township has taken away library services. I am a mom of three, and each of us used the Hellertown Area Library one to three times per week. Each day, members of our own community filed in to check out books, use the computers, research, attend story time, socialize and grow as human beings. This is what is at stake.
The ease with which our own council (minus Priscilla deLeon) has ignored the residents’ request to fully fund the library is alarming. We are now suspicious that something else is going on. If the council has some alternative plan, we should be told. If there is a personal vendetta, the council should swallow their pride and act like adults. The funding the library was asking for was significantly less than the legal fees the township is now paying to sue.
Not having library access is a major disruption for our family, and for the community at large. I’m certain there are other ways to “save” money without risking knowledge and the productive use of time and resources. I urge your readers to contact the township council representatives and compel them to fully fund the Hellertown Area Library.
Sincerely,
Kimberly Humberd
Lower Saucon Township
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