For years, residents and city council members alike have been toying with the notion of establishing a library here.
The time has finally come to make a decision.A survey, enclosed with the water bill, will be mailed to Lindon homes this month in an attempt to ascertain if residents want to have a book nook of their own.
"The library issue has been on slow simmer on the back burner. We've been kicking it around for 3-4 years," said City Councilwoman Lindsey Bayless. "A very motivated community group has been the impetus behind it. Hopefully this survey will give us a definitive answer if the community wants a library. We feel strongly that it's a community decision."
Bayless said the 10-question survey was designed by the city's seven-member library board, which has consulted with information-gathering researchers from BYU.
"We're hoping for a good response," Bayless said. "If we get 60-percent response, then we could make a decision based on that. We want this decision based on reality, not wishful thinking."
Should the city decide to set up a library, there will be a yet-undetermined property tax increase in order to fund it, said City Manager Ott Dameron. "One of the things we want to learn from the survey is if residents want to financially support a library," he said.
The targeted site for the proposed resource center is the old Lion's Club building located at Lindon Park. In the spring of 1996, the Lion's Club turned over its building to the city. Renovation on the structure has already begun, Bayless said, and will continue even if the library proposal is rejected.
There has also been talk about converting the basement of the city center into a library. Dameron said about 500 books, currently stored in the basement, have been donated to the city.
Another option is providing citizens Internet accessibility instead of a library.
Opinions vary widely among outspoken residents, Bayless said. Some believe a library is an investment in Lindon's future, pointing out that Orem's library started out in a home.
"One of the positive things about it is that it would be a focal point in the community," Bayless said. "We could start reading programs for kids in the summer. It would be more than just checking out books. It's much more than that."
Opponents of the library plan say they don't want to pay more money to the city. Others are content to continue using neighboring Orem and Pleasant Grove libraries. Pleasant Grove charges $15 for a nonresident library card while Orem charges $30, but Lindon reimburses $10 to residents who purchase a card from those cities.
"The community needs to be informed. That's the purpose of the survey," she added. "My feelings are that roads and sewers have to be in place. The library is not a top priority. It's a choice. If the community wants it, fine, we'll do it. If not, we won't."