For many years of my professional life I lived and worked outside the United States in a region where all media was controlled by the government and libraries were available only to those wealthy enough to afford the large subscription cost per year. Even those able to afford the subscription price were not allowed to check out the books but were required to do their reading inside the library building.

One of the basic freedoms in a democratic society is access to information and we in Island County are so fortunate to have an excellent regional library system that provides materials and services for persons of all ages at a very low cost per household. My years of observing people in another area of the world be denied a freedom Americans take for granted makes me grateful for our library and all it provides. On Feb. 4 I will be supporting our library system with my yes vote and I would urge all those who value our basic freedom to do the same.

Kathleen Shaw

Oak Harbor