On Saturday, March 16, I’ll be voting at the Pittston Town Meeting to continue the town’s partnership with the Gardiner Public Library. I’m asking everyone in Pittston and all the other member communities to please join me in supporting the library. It really is a beautiful, professionally staffed library. More and more Pittston residents of all ages are using its many services. Let’s keep it going.

Over the past year, the number of library cards issued to Pittston residents increased by 8 percent, from 837 to 907, according to an information sheet Gardiner Public Library Director Anne Davis provided in January to the Pittston Selectboard and Budget Committee. Those 70 new library cardholders from Pittston include adults (33), young adults (14) and children (25). Anyone who lives in Pittston can get a library card; just stop by the library and request one.

From Oct. 31, 2017, through Nov. 1, 2018, adult circulation among Pittston cardholders climbed by 6 percent, from 6,716 items to 7,110 items. Teen circulation nearly quadrupled, from 78 to 302. Children’s circulation increased by 14 percent, from 414 to 470.

In addition, the Gardiner Public Library staff regularly delivers books to the Pittston-Randolph School for all schoolchildren to use. This is a great example of the library supporting the school. Plus the library’s Community Archives Room has a professional librarian to help Pittston residents research local history or genealogy.

This year, Pittston’s share for the library is $24,573.50 That’s an incredible deal considering it provides Pittston residents access to a library with an annual budget of over $500,000. The Pittston Town Meeting starts at 9:45 a.m. Saturday, March 16, at Pittston-Randolph School. Please join me in voting yes for the library.

Tom Farkas

Pittston

(member of the Gardiner Library Association’s board of directors)