A library is more than a repository for books. It’s a living, breathing entity representative of a community’s desire to learn and become more engaged.

In 2015, voters in Marshalltown were asked to approve a levy that would increase the library’s outreach and program offerings, expand the availability of books and other materials, improve technology and extend hours.

This was a wise investment of taxpayer dollars because the library is much more than a place to check out great literature or conduct genealogy research. It’s the community gathering place where people are enlightened through programming, meetings and special events. The library enriches lives and creates opportunities.

Last year, more than 100,000 people walked through the library’s doors. It was the only Iowa location for the traveling exhibit “Americans and the Holocaust.” That event alone brought in 10,000 people from 31 states and two countries, proving the library is an economic driver.

Those numbers are impressive compared to other communities our size.

Regardless, the budget for the library is and will always be tight. The library staff has worked diligently to create an environment that is both educational and welcoming while being frugal with taxpayer dollars.

But the library’s financial future has been undermined by recent legislation at the statehouse. It consolidates the levy into the city’s general fund, meaning a $200,000 cut to the library’s overall budget is possible. Fewer services, fewer programs, a cut in hours or eliminating Sundays and Mondays will most certainly be the result.

Sen. Dan Dawson, one of the legislators who ran the bill, claims the bill wasn’t targeting libraries. He and other legislators, including Sen. Jeff Edler, suggest voters did not understand the impact of the levy when it was passed.

That’s disingenuous and far from the truth.

Voters in Marshalltown knew exactly what the money was designed for. The Friends of the Marshalltown Public Library and others rallied behind the levy because we knew the funds could further the library’s mission.

This legislation and the constant attack from some politicians on cities, counties and school districts has had significant and devastating effects. They claim they want to save money, which sounds good, until you realize these cuts negatively impact the constituents they serve.

The Marshalltown Public Library is a lighthouse for those who value education, community engagement and programming that illuminates our lives.

Let’s not extinguish that light.