Boise Mayor Thanks City's Libraries

BOISE, ID — Boise Mayor Lauren McLean issued the following statement regarding the city's libraries.

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"Over the past year, we’ve seen many things in our community change – but one thing that has not is the importance of our libraries. If anything, the pandemic has highlighted the vital role that libraries play in our community. Libraries open our worlds. They provide access to everything. They work as the last line of defense against educational and economic inequality with open doors to all residents. The people that work there and the services they provide keep us connected to the world around us – and the world beyond.

When I was a kid, I spent hours at my local library. I would head there with my mom and check out stacks of books. I’d devour them. As I grew older, those stacks grew larger. When I became a mom, the library became an important place for our family. From story time to checking out dinosaurs, curated summer reading lists to family movie night videos, the library helped my children grow.

Over the past few years there has been much discussion in our community about our libraries. What we know is that Boiseans care. You want to be part of the conversation, and you want to see the library continue to innovate to serve our community. This past year, the team at the Boise Public Library has done just that – they have innovated to ensure that library services were still available even when a pandemic forced us to close the doors. From curbside pick-up to personalized picks, the library staff has ensured that the library collection could still be accessed. Additionally, library staff found ways to continue offering programming – over the phone, in-person with COVID safety protocols and online.

Libraries are about the people they serve through the programs they offer. As we look to creating a plan for the future of our Boise Public Library system, we must develop that plan in partnership with you, our community. We will listen and honor your input, making sure that we build from the strong foundation we have.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed many things about how libraires work. As we move forward, we must not abandon the innovations that you, our residents want. We’ll ask questions about what we’ve learned, what was new and worked, what should potentially change. And importantly, what residents need that we might not recognize. We want to bring the power and potential of libraries to you and also welcome you back into our libraries.

I’m truly grateful to the staff of our libraries, our board members and financial supporters. And look forward to the steps we take with our city’s next library strategic plan that will include community engagement as we seek to serve each of you as best we can."

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