Thought I'd drop a note. I use the library every few weeks. When I do research, I'll be in every day for a week or two. Lately, most of my attention has been on audio books that I load on my iPod to listen to at work, early in the morning when nothing is going on.

I don't have an e-reader, so I don't use e-books, and I doubt that I'll be doing that in the near future. From what I've read, the process is pretty "lame" right now -- restrictions on titles, volumes, even access at all for some publishers. Just like VHS/DVDs, this methodology needs to shake out quite a bit before I even consider it.

I like the library as is right now. I think it' about right for Ankeny, especially when you have access to all the other libraries around here. No building? You've got to be kidding.

I'd rather see taxes go up by a penny than pay extra. Libraries are for everyone. Just like schools -- even if YOU don't use it, you still need to support it for quality of life for everyone in the city.

I'd strongly oppose funding cuts. The library shouldn't be singled out, when the entire city budget is being considered. If everything got a 5% cut, yes, I'd go along with it, but not if the way to support another service of the city was to cut the library and use that money for the other service.

Mona, focusing on your last question concerning our Library's future, "Lastly should Ankeny have a library at all or is this an area to cut taxes?" YES to the first ?, and even more so to the last ? NO! Seriously! Ankeny is not a small town trying to survive, while those city leaders in dying towns consider closing their library, ahead of the bigger issue, closing their schools, all the while trying to survive. This should not be an issue here. I question why the library was ever brought up to whatever potential chopping-block, as you seem to imply here.

Sorry, again, Mona, but concerning our library's future? We all know (or many) we were to have a new library in PT, along with a new city hall, in the original plans. Not sure of the need for a grand new city hall, but the needs for more library space were a given. Those plans tanked. Glad to see the library got new carpet recently, in being stuck in its current location. It does not matter how many of us here read ebooks on our kindle-like devices, in catching this latest techno-wave. For too many, I would bet, reading an actual book in hand, just reinforces our love of reading, not to mention all the other services our library provides. Kids programs-while waiting in line for years, never made me question this library's needs. Only made me wish for a less-busy library. Ok, so... I never went elsewhere, with shorter lines. Maybe I should have, if our library here can ever be on that, well-chopping block. Sorry again to do this, but what do you know? Who on the board now and in the future would consider this dire action? My point; sorry it took so long.