Pasadena Library
Your story on the Pasadena Public Library touched my heart. How often we criticize public servants and how rarely we show appreciation, yet the staff of the Pasadena Public Library is willing to give up their pay increases in order to keep the library open to serve the community.
This seems to me to go way beyond the call of duty. It shows truly extraordinary dedication. It also reinforces the point that libraries are an essential public service in a democratic society, making information available to all, not just the favored few.
Perhaps it is time for all of us to think about what we might do to support our society, what we might sacrifice in order to preserve and enhance the quality of our public life. The staff of the Pasadena Public Library has certainly provided us with a shining example.
CATHERINE G. BURKE, Associate Professor, USC School of Public Administration
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