On June 9, Rockport voters will be asked to elect two new members for the Library Committee. That Committee, along with the Library Director, is responsible to the town for oversight of the functioning of the library and supervision of the Library Trust Fund. It meets once a month and is a vital board for the community.

Four people are running for the two open Library Committee seats. One of them, Eliza Haselton, has excellent credentials for that job. She has had experience on several boards — at Peopleplace, the Teen Center, the Ragged Mountain Ski Club, and, from 2011-2014, she was on the School Board. She has worked with her husband to run their two businesses, meanwhile volunteering at the schools and raising their two children. Eliza loves the Rockport Library and only wants what's best for the library and the town; that is why she is running.

Eliza's most important asset is her openness. She is eager to hear what consultant Steve Podgajny will suggest concerning the operation of the library and what CES Inc.'s engineering study will reveal about the state of the building. Those reports will be delivered in late June. She wants to learn more about where 21st-Century libraries are going, as they incorporate technology into their operation. Eliza is concerned that our library will be useful to all Rockport citizens, no matter their age, education, economic status, locale or interests.

When you stop to think about it, our public library is the most democratic institution in our town. By definition, it does not play favorites. I urge the voters of Rockport to vote for Eliza who does not have an agenda, but who promises to keep an open mind about what is in the best interests of our library and all our citizens. On Tuesday, please vote for someone who will listen not just to a few people but to all the citizens of our town, from Glen Cove to downtown Rockport, from West Rockport to Rockville and to Simonton Corner.

Pat Messler lives in Rockport