Don’t judge a book by its cover — especially in a library

When I read Mr. Roberts’ June 1 Xpress letter, “What Happened to Pack Memorial Library?” my first reaction was speechless disbelief that he would take it upon himself to label a sizable portion of Pack Library patrons “ex-cons, strung-out drug abusers, downtrodden” and “scary-looking thugs.” Ironically, downtrodden is defined by the Princeton University WordNet database as “Abused or oppressed by people in power.”

Roberts laments that he sees no children, families and businesspeople there. But children do come. When they do, I know that they come with their school classes, which is right since school has been in session all spring and the library isn’t open much after they get out. …

Let’s face facts. The majority of people Mr. Roberts would like to see using the Pack computers do so at school, home or at work. But the people who do use public computers are those expected by statistics: people at the poverty level. If they were all “strung out” as insinuated, they wouldn’t have the patience to be on computers in the first place.

I can’t speak to what happens in the parking garage that Mr. Roberts mentioned, since I’m rarely there, but when I’ve been in front of Pack during the mornings, I rarely see more than a few people hanging around, and none of them have been aggressive. I have not seen a business entrance on Haywood Street blocked by panhandlers since the library reopened. I believe the new Pack is a light-filled open space of beauty to be shared by any who come.

Mr. Roberts has attributed all kinds of negative characteristics to people he doesn’t actually know based on the stereotypical behavior of a few. Some would like to cleanse the visible signs of the poor from their “territory” without working on poverty itself, but to do so is no solution.

— Wayne Burgess
Asheville

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Webmaster
Mountain Xpress Webmaster Follow me @MXWebTeam

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

One thought on “Don’t judge a book by its cover — especially in a library

  1. Amy Wright

    Thank you for writing this letter. I had a similar reaction, and wondered about the cause of such a great lack of empathy. I’ve been to the Pack Library on a few occasions since it reopened, (and many before) and have had nothing but good experiences. I personally know multiple people who have to use the library as their internet portal to the world – due to no computer, or just economizing and not being able to afford internet access for a while – and I believe this is a vital service. I am glad it is being met.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.