Godeke Library Should Be Moved To Another City Owned Space

Tonight the City Council will decide on the fate of Godeke library and the results will probably not be good. 

The Controversy

The Lubbock City Council is already under fire for removing funds from the First Friday Art trail for very questionable reasons and in a very questionable manor. To be honest, I found the whole thing a bit shady, but that's someone else's fight to fight. Now that it comes time to prune things for the budget, every decision is going to come under the microscope.

The Decision

It appears the City is eyeballing Godeke Library for closure. The loss of a library would be a tragic and unforgivable thing. The City should NOT close the library, but should find an alternate, more reasonably priced location. This would not be the first time the library has been moved, and it should be moved, hopefully into a City owned space.

The Cost

Here's the rub with the Godeke Library; the rent on that space is over $14,000 a month. I am not in property management, nor do I have a great awareness of the cost of commercial properties, but that sure seems like an excessive amount. Surely there is a City of Lubbock owned property that can be made ready to host Godeke. I am in fact, surprised that we have not been preparing for this day for some time.

Location

Yes, it would be very hard to find one in the exact area. Proximity to potential users is very, very important. The problem is, if we allow this closure now with an eye on finding a property in the future, there is almost no chance that the library will reopen again.

The Fight

I understand that libraries are being demonized right now and it's one of the most ignorant and hateful movements out there. The citizens of Lubbock should FIGHT for their library, but should also understand that rent in the current location, with so many vacant properties across Lubbock is absolutely ridiculous.  Surely we can find a donor, or a property company that is willing to give the City Of Lubbock a fair price for a new location.