Library should be open when school is closed for weather

Dear Editor,

I'm 17, currently a sophomore student at Nevada High School. I have noticed the day's we are out of school for snow or the cold weather, the Nevada Public Library is closed. I think that the Nevada Public Library should remain open then so the students or parents can go and read or check their e-mail. Students in Nevada have homework and some of it is supposed to be turned in this week by Jan. 8, if we go back to school this week. Some homework is supposed to be done on the computer or the Internet. Some people can't afford it at home so they go to the library where it is free, but they can't do that when we're out of school for snow or the cold weather because they seem to be closed too.

Charles Stidham

Nevada

Editors note: We checked with Susan McBeth, the library director, and she said the policy of closing whenever the Nevada schools closed due to the weather was started two years ago after someone slipped and fell on the ice at the library. She said that they also had problems getting adequate staff when there was heavy snow and ice since some of the library's employees live in El Dorado Springs and outside of towns and sometimes have trouble getting to work. McBeth said that most years this has not been a problem, however, in light of this Thursday's closing because of cold temperatures, the library board will probably reconsider the policy.