Pennington County slashes funds for Rapid City Public Library. This is like cutting into the heart of the community.
Some of my favorite memories as a mother happened inside the Rapid City Public Library. When my daughters were little, we made regular trips — tiny hands in mine — as we browsed picture books, joined storytime, and borrowed those little red themed book bags they loved so much. They received their library cards at a young age and treated them like prized possessions.
Those early moments shaped them into the avid readers they are today. When they grew older, they volunteered at RCPL, giving back to the place that helped raise them.
Later, as a Rapid City Common Council member, I had the privilege of serving as the city’s liaison to the library — a role that only deepened my appreciation for what RCPL means to families across our community. I became a strong advocate for bringing back a bookmobile, inspired by my own childhood memories and by a belief that every child deserves access to the magic of books, even if they can’t make it to the main branch.
Today, that bookmobile is a lifeline. Every other week, it visits the Minneluzahan Senior Center, offering large-print books and audiobooks for those with visual impairments, while also fostering safe, intergenerational connections with our neighbors at the Club for Boys. It’s one of the most joyful examples of what a library can be: a bridge across ages, backgrounds, and experiences.
All of this is why the Pennington County Commissioners’ decision to drastically cut funding to the Rapid City Public Library is not just disappointing, it’s alarming.
The county plans to slash its contribution from roughly $475,000 to just $81,000 beginning in 2026. The consequences are stark: Sunday closures, reduced hours, diminished children’s programming, fewer research databases, cuts to job-seeking tools, and possible elimination of cultural partnerships and community services. Our new bookmobile itself could face reductions.
And, for the first time, many county residents may be forced to pay out-of-pocket fees just to use a public library they already support through their taxes.
I understand budget pressures. Every level of government faces difficult decisions. But a public library is not an expendable frill — it is one of the most important, equitable, and cost-effective investments a community can make. For families who can’t afford shelves of books at home, the library is essential. For seniors, it is social connection. For job seekers, it is internet access, resume help, and a quiet space to work. For children, it is discovery, imagination, curiosity, and in many cases, the early seeds of lifelong learning.
Our library touches every generation, including the two that shaped me: my elders who relied on bookmobiles decades ago and my daughters, who grew into readers because our library welcomed them with open doors.
Funding cuts of this magnitude don’t just trim — they sever. They jeopardize services that have taken decades to build, partnerships that strengthen community health, and opportunities that shape young minds.
We can balance budgets without hollowing out public infrastructure. And make no mistake — the library is infrastructure. It is social, educational, cultural and economic infrastructure. When we weaken it, we weaken our community.
If you’ve ever taken a child to story time, relied on the library’s internet to apply for a job, checked out a seed packet for your garden, or simply felt the peace of walking among the shelves after a long day, now is the moment to speak up.
Call or email your Pennington County commissioners. Attend their meetings. Tell them what the library means to you, your family, and your neighbors.
Because when we protect our library, we are not clinging to the past — we are investing in our future.
Laura Armstrong of Rapid City, a speech language pathologist who owns a small private clinic, is a regular contributor to The South Dakota Standard. She served two consecutive terms on the Rapid City Common Council (2017-2023) twice as council president, and remains dedicated to the Rapid City community.
Photo: Laura Armstrong
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