Urgent: Stand With Us Against Unauthorized Use of Public Library Property

Many of you know me as an "environmental friend" and a fierce advocate for the environment since I began teaching in the early 1980s, through my Weekly Erie Times-News in Education "Learn about Your Environment" pages for 20+ years and my work at Pennsylvania Sea Grant. Throughout my career, I have worked with many of you and engaged thousands of individuals of all ages in actively protecting the Great Lakes and our environment.

Gannon has proceeded with their CLEER (Center for Lake Erie Education and Research) project at Blasco while named in a lawsuit by Keep Our Library Public in which a VERDICT HAS NOT BEEN REACHED! You can read the lease and lawsuit here:

https://keepourlibrarypublic.com/faqs/

Our case is strong. We are encouraged the verdict will favor keeping the Blasco Library public.

Gannon's project at the library was approved for American Rescue Plan funds for the rehabilitation of a building! The Blasco Library does not need rehabilitation. And why can't Gannon use labs and classrooms on their campus that could better serve their needs without encroaching on public library space or wasting precious dollars meant to help people most affected by COVID-19?

The public was not adequately involved nor were impact studies done before the decision was made to take prime public space in the Blasco Public Library for Gannon's research lab. This lack of transparency undermines the very essence of our democratic structures and erodes the community's trust.

It is crucial that we fight together to protect our public spaces and public resources and advocate for democracy, the rule of law, social justice and decency!

The trial is set for December.

Connect with Keep Our Library Public for updates and ask friends to sign: https://www.fightforthefirst.org/petitions/keep-our-library-public
Watch our documentary Save Blasco! at https://youtu.be/D4vsCwkY2QQ
Donate to our legal fund: https://keepourlibrarypublic.com/donate/ Lawsuits are not cheap. If you donated, thank you!

Email your thoughts about keeping the Blasco Library public to: keepourlibrarypublic@gmail.com. We will share them with the County Executive, County Council, Gannon and the press to let them know we have not given up fighting to SAVE BLASCO and that we want justice!