To the Editor:

When I moved to Waynesville in 1987 the library was the pride of the mountains. It was even better than Raleigh’s, where I had lived three decades. Forty-five percent of the county population is over 39, so more reading material is needed for an older population. After I returned from living in Texas the past seven years, I was dismayed to see the library down at the heels. 

The computers especially were a problem. They are very heavily used, usually by unemployed 20-somethings applying for jobs online, students who cannot afford their own computer, by seniors, and by visitors who are traveling and won’t tote a printer to a motel room. They are old, say 20 years. In fact, the operating system is no longer supported by Windows.

The staff is always kind, patient and helpful, so I asked what was going on. It seems that attempts to upgrade or supervise the computers are lacking. Software to upgrade has been on the shelf for a while, maybe even as long as a year. I offered, since I taught it at SCC, to install it myself. No, no one can touch it. Maybe they could get an intern from WCU? No, the intern came from HCC and didn’t do it.

I checked with a state legislator and learned that libraries just received substantial upgrades of funding, but clearly funds are only part of the problem. I plan to see the county commissioners about this. But thank you for printing my letter and letting others know.

Cornelia S. Cree

Waynesville