Dear Governor Rendell,

First I need to tell you that I've never written to a politician before. It's a little weird for me, so I ask that you bear with me as I try to channel my outspoken, opinionated, constantly-writing-to-some-senator-or-other grandfather.

I know there's a lot going on these days. A lot of money that needs to be saved and spent and all that. I'm not going to pretend to be some kind of expert, but you guys are talking about doing something that I completely and utterly disagree with (among other things, but that's for a different letter):

You want to cut library funding, which is of course bad. But cutting it by 34 percent?! That's not just "cutting" funding, my friend. No. That's like giving an obese family of four a pb and j sandwich, but only after you licked off all the peanut butter. I know times are tough and you need to find money somewhere, but seriously. What are you thinking?! Libraries take up 0.3 percent of the entire state budget. Cutting their already tight budget by 34 PERCENT is in no way acceptable or fair.

And because of these proposed cuts, libraries would have to cut hours and even close branches. This is very not cool. In times like these where everybody (it seems) is unemployed and broke, we need libraries more than ever. Us masses need free access to computers for job searches, free books to train for a better or new career, and just as important, a friendly librarian face to bring us out of our funk.

And this is where I can speak from experience; I might even get emotional. One of the libraries which will likely close is my own local branch. Just last year, I was one of those jobless funk folks. But my library, the Beechview location of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh group, helped me in so many ways. I had just moved to Pittsburgh, just lost my job after buying a house, and everyone and everything I knew and loved was five hours east. But that Beechview library was my haven. I borrowed novels and movies to escape my worries for a little while and of course, I found books to help me learn more about the line of work I was trying to find a job in. I made a friend in Audrey Iacone, the librarian there. She was always happy to see me and full of ideas of books I might like and who I could talk to.

And I was not alone. I always saw people in there, doing the same thing I was. Not to mention kids working on their homework and families picking out books together. It was a right utopia, like "Leave it to Beaver" or something. I'm not even kidding.

Not only that, but the neighborhood of Beechview is trying and working so hard to revitalize themselves, to make changes, bring in more business, to find their pride again. Taking away that library would only give Beechview another empty storefront to be depressed about. Libraries in any neighborhood are a vital community center; they're the only place where everybody, no matter how little or how much they have, can congregate and find culture and knowledge and even opportunity. It makes me sad to think that, should Beechview ever attain its goal of a neighborhood renaissance, a vital piece of the community puzzle will probably be missing.

So anyway. I know you have a lot on your plate. I know you think you've got bigger fish to fry. But I am sincerely asking you, please reconsider these cuts. Please. PRETTY PLEASE. These cuts are not for the greater good.

Ok. I'm done begging. Thanks.

~mandy