Library renovation destroys soul of town See page C6 for details

Yesterday I went to the library nearby that I haven't been to in about four years, in which time they've done massive renovations. It looks really nice and has a huge chess set for kids and much more space, but it doesn't smell the same and doesn't have the same charm. I miss the little wire chairs at the little kids' table that had padding on the seats in eighties-style shades of orange and yellow. I miss knowing exactly where the Peanuts comic books and Baby-Sitter's Club books are. I loved Ghost at Dawn's House. It had a secret passage in it. I always wanted a secret passage. Anyway, I also miss the high ceilings and mismatched furniture and generally shoddy feel. Now it's clean and streamlined and heartless. The same thing happened when they renovated the library downtown, only worse: they took the ACTUAL SECRET ROOM out. I mean, how COULD you? It was the coolest thing in the world and now it's like the map room or some foolishness. People just don't know how to treat libraries. You have to withhold their money. That's how they retain their old-fashioned charm. It's a good thing, a very good thing. I'm switching my voter registration to Republican as we speak.