I would like to advocate on behalf of the Olean Public Library and its capital project.

I’m a word nerd from way back in the day. From my first “grown-up” job at the Erie County Public Library at age 18 to my education in the fields of English and communications in college to my current job where I am surrounded by books and reference materials, I fully realize the power of these tools.

But as lifechanging as these resources can be, I don’t even want to focus on books here. I would rather challenge your very notion of what a library, in the year 2025, represents to our city and region. It’s so much more than a place to borrow the latest pulpy novel to relax with at the beach (as great as that may be).

Beyond books, the true value of the Olean Public Library (OPL) today is in its staff, in its programs and in its inestimable potential for building community. The staff is exemplary. We are fortunate to have so many bright and talented individuals at OPL, ready to assist us in accessing resources and leading countless programming efforts. These individuals could be utilizing their many talents in any number of ways, but it’s clear they see their work at OPL as a vocation and we all benefit from their dedication.

I’ve witnessed many times their ability to engage in a meaningful way, particularly with area youngsters — and it matters.

The programs themselves are equally impactful. My wife and I often discuss how lucky this area is to have the quality and variety of programming that OPL offers. I often wrestle with my natural inclination to shout its many merits from the rooftops and my instinct to keep it under my hat so their many offerings don’t get even more crowed.

Maybe the most vital role the library offers is that of a public community space where everybody is welcome and you truly see people from all walks of life. Whether you are researching a topic, meeting your friends in chess club, attending an art class, bringing a young one to story time, or beating the heat while utilizing the public computers and WiFi — there is no other place in the community that can compare.

A space that can truly act as this community center is perhaps the greatest need of all. We live in such a divided world. The digital age has made so much available at our fingertips, but eroded our basic humanity and sense of community. It has berthed a new epidemic of isolation, exacerbated by political and ideological tribalism. It’s a world where kids can’t necessarily feel safe in their own families and, increasingly, their schools.

An expanded and invigorated space that gives these kids a safe, worthwhile place to go and enrich themselves with their peers and friends in invaluable.

I’m guessing that if you still are not moved, it’s because you haven’t seen first-hand the profound difference OPL can make in so many lives.

Please support this noble and worthy project by voting “yes” this Thursday.

(Darrell Klute lives in Olean.)