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Hi Pamie!

I hope you’re doing well.

I received a letter today from the Beverly Public Library in Beverly, Massacusetts. I did an Amazon wishlist search for libraries in my area and Beverly. I was intrigued because Beverly is near Boston and the affluent cities of Cape Cod; how much help could they need as a well-situated city with access to both money and political input? Turn out, they are just as affected by budget cuts as a small library branch in Western Massachusetts or California. Here’s the letter (you got a shout-out as well!):

On behalf of the Beverly Public Library and the Trustees of the Beverly Public Library, please accept my sincere thanks for your generous donation to the Beverly Public Library of Hoax by Nicholas Von Hoffman. Thank you also for giving credit to Pamela Ribon.

This past year our book budget was cut by approximately 80%. This left very little money for books, magazine subscriptions, and newspapers. We are grateful for your support of the library because it makes it possible for us to provide much-needed books for our patrons.

Again, thank you!

Sincerely,
Thomas F. Scully, library director

Eighty percent. Ridiculous.

I wanted to show you this letter to let you see the difference you’re making, slowly, all over the country. I’m on the other coast, but am urging everyone I know to not only help out the San Diego library system, but local branches as well. I’ll be talking to the English Club at Framingham State College this fall to see if we can figure out a similar program for the library. Their budget is currently at ZERO. I’m also trying to get my friends and co-workers registered to vote so that we can try to send the message to our lawmakers that this gutting of the arts and public works is unacceptable. It would have taken me quite a long time to realize the problem and figure out a way to ease it if it hadn’t been for pamie.com.

Thanks for doing this, Pamie. And thanks for taking time out to read this letter.

–Vikky
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