This November, people will be heading to the ballots to cast their votes for the next president of the United States. However, this year’s election is notably different than the past. With Donald Trump as the Republican nominee, and Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee, this election has taken numerous twists and turns. Due to the somewhat “messy” nature of this year’s election, the library here at East has taken it upon themselves to inform people about this year’s election. A lot of focus has been turned towards the vulgar words of candidates, with their actual views on political issues being lost in the mix. In the center of the library, as described by librarian Helen Cooper, the display provides “real information”. The display is very unbiased, and simply informs about the issues. They’re organized by various issues, such as: Gun Control, LGBT+, Immigration, Race, and more. In each section, they have various books that provide various viewpoints of current issues in society today. There’s also a graphic organizer that shows the views of Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Jill Stein, and Gary Johnson. This is a good way to compare each candidate’s ideas side by side, without the biases of other sources.

This display is a good way to form your own factually based opinions on social issues. With the assistance of the information the library provides, you can decide how you personally feel on controversial subjects. This also helps people comprehend issues as a whole, without the often one-sided information of different news outlets and political party platforms. It’s important to understand the opinions you hold, as well as having a firm sense of the issue as a whole.

The library also provides information on voting itself. Although a majority of students can’t vote yet, this information is fantastic for those who are able to vote for the first time this year. You can learn how to register to vote, where to vote, and more general information about participating in this year’s election. It’s not only important to use your voice in this election, but to be an educated voter. The library can assist with both of these missions and help the voting process for East students and teachers.

Before heading to the ballots on November 8th, head to the library to help ensure you’re casting a well informed vote!