Kevin Kamenetz
Randallstown Library Ribbon Cutting
February 14, 2011
Thank all of you for joining us here for today’s celebration of Randallstown.
As all of you know, today is Valentine’s Day, a day when we celebrate the ones we love. While I’m sure that each of us has plans with our loved ones tonight, I know that today, everyone is here because they share the love that we all feel for Randallstown!
Many of you have lived here your entire lives, but I have my own relationship with this historic community. It started a long time ago, back in the heady days of 1994. Cell phones were the size of a shoebox and mustaches were cool, especially on Councilmen. Randallstown sent me to the County Council and we developed a great relationship together. But after eight happy years, we went our separate ways. I don’t like to talk about it. There was some redistricting and Randallstown caught the eye of another man. In fact, I believe that home wrecker Councilman Oliver is here today.
Well its been a while, but the spark never completely died, and in 2010, for the first time in eight years, Randallstown and I got back together again and I’ve gotta tell ya, its even better than it was before. Now, being that it’s Valentine’s Day, I’ve helped chip in, along with the Council and some friends from the State, and gotten Randallstown a very special gift – a half-million dollar renovated library! Now, this may have been more expensive than the box of chocolates my wife Jill will get tonight, but I think we can keep that between us.
In all seriousness, I can’t think of a better gift for the people of Randallstown than this. Few public resources are more valuable than our libraries. Within the walls of this building, and every one like it in Baltimore County, our citizens have access to a world of information absolutely free of charge. Here they can research the history of ancient Rome, read the stories of wizards and space aliens, find out who the 12th County Executive is, learn the things they need to do to get a better job, and so much more.
Since 1966, the Randallstown Branch of the Baltimore County Public Library has brought all these things to this community and enriched the quality of life for everyone who calls this place home. In 2002, (While I was still the Councilman!), this library received a renovation when repairs were needed after a fire. While the changes made to it have helped this facility, two things became apparent over the past nine years: the stairs at the entrance were a problem and there was a desperate need for tutoring rooms. Today, both of those concerns have been addressed.
By reconstructing and improving this entrance, an alternative means of access is no longer necessary. Everyone is now able to safely access the library materials and staff the same way. The lift has also been replaced with a self-service elevator which is much more user friendly and far less conspicuous.
Perhaps the most exciting change though is the addition of three rooms dedicated to tutoring. One of Baltimore County’s most important priorities is ensuring that every child receives the finest education possible. The tutoring rooms will be an important resource for the education of every child in Randallstown. These rooms will provide them with a safe environment conducive to learning with a wide variety of resources at their fingertips. If you need evidence of the success of tutoring rooms, just take a five mile drive to the Woodlawn Library, where their four tutoring rooms are used an average of 3,120 times per year.
I want to thank Jim Fish and everyone at the Baltimore County Public Library for the remarkable work they do everyday here and in all of our communities. I know that you will take full advantage of these renovations and that this facility could not be in better hands.
I also want to thank the County Council, including that Casanova Ken Oliver, for supporting this project and for taking such good care of Randallstown. Finally, I thank the Maryland State Department of Education’s Division of Library Development and Services for their grant, which helped make this building possible.
Now let’s cut the ribbon and make this gift official!
