The American Library Association's new Libraries Transform campaign is designed to increase public awareness about all that libraries have to offer. Initiatives such as these become necessary when people start to wonder how essential a role the library plays in this age of digital technology, when books can be accessed with the swipe of your finger across your phone.

Are libraries essential?

In my opinion, it depends on the library. If you have a building that's little more than a book repository whose only visitors are those who stop in every once in a while to get some reading material, then no, probably not.

If, on the other hand, you create an organization that offers educational programming for both children and adults; if you serve as a gathering place for young moms, hobbyists of all types, and children who would otherwise be home alone; if you provide technology that makes it possible for students to graduate with honors, the unemployed to rebuild their resumes and find jobs, and researchers to learn as much as they can about just about whatever topic interests them; if you do all this and more, then, perhaps, you're coming closer to the "essential" mark.

The Wallkill Public Library, thanks in large part to a staff of hard-working and creative people, does all this. But we want to do more. And we want to do more of what YOU want, which means your input is critical. Whether you're looking for a certain genre of fiction, a wider selection of DVDs, a particular program, or more outreach efforts, we want to make sure you have it.

As the new manager of the library, my first and most important priority is to make sure we're succeeding in enriching the lives of our community members by providing services YOU deem essential. So please let us know how we can better serve you. Give us a call (895-3707) or contact us using our online form .