To the editor:
I have had the pleasure of getting to know Rob Shaeffer over the last few years as a friend and supportive community member. Rob’s commitment to his community, strong desire to help in any way he can, and consistency in his commitments is exactly what our Libraries need.
I first met Rob as a friend and farmers market shopper, then he became a volunteer during the height of the pandemic. He arrived every Saturday at 7:30am to help us set up all of the safety precautions for the market. We could not have made it through the seasons without his help and he continues to volunteer to this day.
Rob also began showing up at my house with children’s books that he had published. On his own, he recognized how hard it was to be home with small children during that time and took it upon himself to make life a little easier. I am forever grateful for the gesture and strong in my conviction that Rob instinctively knows how to help.
As his lifetime work in publishing proves his commitment to literature, so does his 35+ years of volunteering for libraries in the communities he has lived in. Rob recognizes that libraries are not only a source of reading content but also a space for our community to gather. As a mother of small children, I have used the library as a source of sanctuary and gathering. During the pandemic I attended some Selectboard meetings from my car in the Mason Library parking lot for the internet and peace and quiet. The success of our community is tightly tied to the success of the libraries in our town.
Rob is the exact candidate I want to represent my family. I know he will ensure our libraries continue to be safe spaces for everyone to gather. Rob, as a proponent of libraries as community spaces, is the perfect person to be involved in the future of the Ramsdell Library.
As we watch libraries fall under attack across this country, we need a committed volunteer who fully understands that libraries are an invaluable source of support for our entire community. Rob Shaeffer is exactly this person. I endorse Rob Shaeffer for Library Trustee.
Please vote on Tuesday, May 9th.
Kate Burke
21 Egremont Plain Rd.
Great Barrington
