The Lafourche Louisiana Parish Public Library is facing the most offensive opposition I’ve ever seen in a library election.

“ ‘They’re teaching Mexicans how to speak English,’ the council chairman said in reference to Biblioteca Hispana, a Hispanic-language segment of the Golden Meadow library branch. ‘Let that son of a bitch go back to Mexico. There’s just so many things they’re doing that I don’t agree with. … Them junkies and hippies and food stamps (recipients) and all, they use the library to look at drugs and food stamps (on the Internet). I see them do it.’ ”

That’s a quote from Mr. Lindel Toups, chair of the Parish Council in Lafourche, LA. Mr. Toups is orchestrating a “special election” this Saturday to take money away from the library to build a new jail. Yes, literally taking money from the library to build a new jail. He wants to redirect money already dedicated to the library – an institution that educates all ages, helps people find jobs, connects them to social services, and is a place of self-discovery and community identity – to build a new jail. And he’s running a Saturday election to try and do it.

The library community in Lafourche, LA. needs your help, today. The entire Parish, still recovering from Hurricane Katrina, needs your help today. Over the next 72 hours, EveryLibrary is talking to voters directly in Lafourche Parish about their library. EveryLibrary needs your support to make that happen in a big, effective way – and fast. We know how to talk to voters about libraries – help us get that done.

Library funding should not be in a zero-sum game with the jail. We need to tell Mr. Toups and his anti-library allies that the library’s funding is off-limits. Please donate today.