City council candidate Chuck Swore said he nearly had a “heart attack” when he heard a new public library might cost $45 million. That’s some pretty dramatic sticker shock.

“We don’t need the same kind of library,” Swore said at a candidate forum. “The Gazette can tell you that. People don’t read the same way they used to read. They go online. You can go online and get about any book you want.”

Swore’s right about the fading fortunes of newsprint. But he’s wrong about the fading relevance of libraries.

I don’t like picking on Swore. I know he wants to spend tax money wisely. So do I.

We can have a debate on how much needs to be spent on a new facility to replace the flooded central library, on top of state and federal bucks. We can argue locations, timelines, amenities and parking.

But I hope we steer clear of arguments that we should downsize our ambitions because libraries are somehow a less-than-necessary, bygone relic.

In fact, I’d argue that in this dazzling, dizzying digital age, they’re more important than ever.

Seen at the Cedar Rapids Gazette