The Editorial Board encourages any and all residents able to attend this afternoon's meeting of the Bozeman Public Library's Board of Trustees to do so. It's at 4 p.m. and the hot topic is a misguided development proposal that's threatening the future of the library.

A firm from New York — Left Lane Development — is looking to build a seven-story 350,000-square-foot building on the rectangular industrial property west of the library and east of Little Star Diner and Lockhorn Cider House. In addition, they want to build a two-story parking garage on the city-owned library parking lot.

There's any number of issues to take with the proposal, which is available for perusal on the library's website. But here's a quick sketch of the developer's odious demands: a cap the library building's height to "protect the light, air and views in favor of the Hotel Property," rent the parking lot for $1 per year for 75 years, require a library staffer accompany any member of the public who dares to access the parking garage's landscaped roof and use the library's parking spots for valet parking... while keeping all the associated valet charges for the hotel.