"Yes" to a New Moorhead Library and Community Center

On November 8, City of Moorhead voters will consider a ballot initiative to build a new Moorhead community center and regional library, funded by a 0.5% local option sales tax. As a 12-year Moorhead resident and proud president of Minnesota State University Moorhead, I strongly endorse this initiative.

In so many ways, Moorhead is already a great place to live, learn, and work. I proudly promote our community and its many assets to prospective students and their parents. And, yet, I frequently hear that our community lacks spaces to gather—the kind of spaces that bring us together, build relationships, and create common understanding and mutual respect.

The proposed library and community center would be such a space. As an interactive hub in the center of Moorhead, it would not only be a catalyst for continued development downtown, it would also provide opportunities for collaboration, recreation, interactive learning, and entertainment.

This is about more than building a place to house books and avoid the winter cold (although, honestly, making our long winters feel a little warmer is an added bonus). It’s about access to information and technology and, most importantly, access to each other. It’s about investing in ourselves by creating the kind of community we all want to call home.

I’m voting “Yes” on Tuesday for a new library and community center. Please join me.

President Anne Blackhurst
Minnesota State University Moorhead

Dr. Anne Blackhurst served as Minnesota State University Moorhead’s 11th president from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2023.