Ever since I could read the library has been an especially wonderful place to visit. I was amazed that perfect strangers would let me check out a whole stack of books to take home and read. I remember the smell of waxed wood floors and of books, the hushed tones of whispered conversations, and the dimly lit rows of shelves. It felt something like going into a church. Libraries have changed a lot in the last thirty years. They are a lot brighter and people now go there for meetings, lectures, performances and movies.

As the wants and needs of people have changed, libraries have changed and adapted as well. I am grateful that Dan Carnegie had the wisdom and foresight to invest in libraries and that the people of Ames have continued to build on that investment. I hope we will renew and improve the library —vote “yes” on Nov. 8.