COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Before PPLD Board Member Angela Dougan could finish her sentence during Wednesday's meeting at Library 21c, she was met with jeers and shouts form a packed crowd.
“Primarily what I hear this community asking for is a gathering place or what is actually a community center," was what Dougan was trying to say.
Among those disagreeing with that statement: Rockrimmon Library user Joe Pelka.
“I think she totally misinterpreted what we were trying to tell her," Pelka said.
Pelka's claim: if Rockrimmon Library is too much of a community center, what does that make a place like Library 21c Just down the road?
“They have a gaming area. They have a broadcast studio," he said. “If they don’t want us to have a community center, why do they have one in 21c?”
Thursday, I went back to 21c to see if some of its patrons view it as a community center, a library, or both.
“I really like it as a place to study," said Rachel Falk.
“I like coming to find new books that I’ve never read before," said Alyssa Smith.
“Different environments and different places for me to be and to study," said Laena Linnenburger.
“We bring our clients here to learn different things," said Lizzi Noreen.
For more clarity on her comment, I contacted Trustee Dougan who said community centers and libraries are different by definition.
“To the library and the library board, a community center is not in their purview. A social center for activities is not in their purview. A day care center is not in their purview," Dougan said.
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