I'm surprised at Carol Becker's comments about Roosevelt Library and mixed use. NO ONE has suggested a laudromat or McDonalds be built with the library. The suggestion, which the Library Board is pursuing, is to build much-needed housing and PERHAPS one or two retail spots for a cafe, coffee shop, or even child care.
We should all know better than to speculate on what is in a project without knowing the details. A simple look at the library system's web site would have given Carol the details on the proposal. I'm on the Roosevelt Advisory Committee and have been discussing the idea of mixed use since it was first publicly brought up in March. But more importantly, I think Libraries NEED to learn from Barnes & Noble and the other successful book store chains to make sure they don't lose their patrons to the commercial centers. Obviously, the mix of books and cafes works for them. It can also work to increase the use of our libraries, where people don't have to buy anything in order to participate in the democracy Carol wants to happen there. Jim Berg Corcoran Neighborhood Carol Becker said, "I was also thinking about the Roosevelt Library proposal and how there is a proposal to make it part of a mixed use development. ... The Library isn't simply a Barnes and Noble, another store to meet your daily needs, a warehouse of books. A Library is a place where democracy happens. A Library is a place where everyone is equal, everyone is welcome, a place that provides knowledge and support for everyone. It is a tie from our past to our future, a place of permanence and strength in our community. It reflects our values. It is a place that defines who we are and who we will be." __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo! http://sbc.yahoo.com _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
