SUPPLEMENTAL SPECIAL MEETING (5:00 PM)

Qy�NSA iyTo�G City Council Regular Meeting - Submit your written public comment OPL'NNED QV City of Pleasanton Full Name First Name: Mark Last Name: Allendorf Email (this entry is disclosable if included) Submitted On: Apr 6, 2025, 06:04PM PDT City Council Meeting Date April 08, 2025 05:00 PM Meeting Type Special Meeting at 5:00 pm Agenda Item Number 2 Comments I have lived in Pleasanton for more than 17 years. I am proud of the resources the city provides to improve the well-being of its citizens. Among these is the library, which is the most used city facility, serving students and adults. As such, it is an invaluable asset that must be cherished and protected. One can understand that under the current fiscal conditions reductions in services are perhaps inevitable. Consequently, a temporary reduction in hours may be necessary. But a 50% reduction in library collections? How can that be justified? Unlike the reduced hours, shrinking the collection could easily permanently damage the facility. And who would decide what resources should be cut? In an age when attacks on institutions of knowledge are rampant, including the banning of books that a loud minority finds offensive, such cuts raise serious concerns. Is this really what we want Pleasanton to be known for? May I remind the council that such actions can quickly attract national attention; witness the divisive school board controversy in Sunol. The council should be extremely hesitant to take actions that can bring opprobrium upon the city. I urge the council to avoid this by finding other ways to address the financial problem.