Support Samuels Library with Generosity, Not Cuts

At Samuels Library, instead of battling over removing books we don’t like, let’s compete to donate new ones we like. Rather than privatizing and cutting hours, why not challenge ourselves to volunteer more and fund Sunday hours from 11 to 3pm?

As a Christian and homeschooling parent, I believe books profoundly shape our youth. The solution isn’t fewer books and access at Samuels Library—it’s more.

Samuels welcomes diverse requests for books including those that positively portray Christian worldviews. Already they have a large section of youth-oriented Christian biographies / lives of the saints. Personally, I want them to add “The Unbroken Thread” by a conservative columnist, and a beautifully-illustrated retelling of Oscar Wilde’s very-Christian “The Selfish Giant.” But why just request? I’m going to kick things off by donating these and challenge others to contribute new books or funds for e-books and media.

Next, imagine families visiting Samuels after Sunday services, browsing Christian-themed and saint stories together. Sundays from 11 to 3 would offer a meaningful, in-person alternative to shopping or screentime—a true day of rest. But since the Samuels already provides more hours than the County pays for, adding Sunday hours is beyond anyone’s thinking (until now!) because it would require greater funding and volunteers. But let’s channel all this good community energy that way, not reduce hours with a private company that’ll cut its way to profitability.

I see the campaign for library removals and cuts making conservatives in general (and conservative Catholics like me) appear small and angry.  I want to flip that to big and generous.  St. Francis de Sales wisely noted around 1600: “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” His evangelism vision prevailed as both spiritual and political advice for good reason. Let’s apply it here.

Kevin Cuddeback
Front Royal, VA

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