Public Libraries in Trouble

[bicker]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-02-01-libraries_N.htm

I haven't actually thought about this, but it does make sense. They cannot stop teaching children; they cannot stop protecting lives and property; etc. However, as much as the public library has become a fundamental feature of practically every American town, unlike these other town service, the public library, unfortunately, does seem to be a logical target when towns encounter this next years budget short-falls.

 

[mnasmom3]

We'd be sad without our library. Use it often. Especially now. Can't bring myself to buy a book when I can borrow one free from the library.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

On my home taxes there's a specific line that says how much I've been taxed for the library and the library alone.

I realized that I have amply paid for my DVD rentals and my book requests, btw! However, it's a good investment in my community, so I'll continue to vote for the millage to keep the library funded.

But still, that tax money goes directly to the library. It doesn't touch any one else's pockets.

Is that not true in other places?

 

[Planogirl]

I don't go to the library but I see its value and would be glad to pay a bit more to keep it funded. DH uses the library frequently so it would definitely bother him to lose it.

 

[Cindy B]

The city of Philadelphia has talked about closing branches for quite a while.

Our township built a new library facility a few years ago. I go all the time and I definetely use it.

DH uses it as well, and the kids do sometimes.

 

[Ephany]

Our library is busier than ever, especially the computers that have internet access. I know the operating hours have also been shortened. It's too bad that as the demand for the library services increase, the money to fund programs decreases.

 

[loco4dis]

Ours are funded by property taxes. My family uses ours a lot, but if they have to cut costs like everyone else does, then that's just the way it is.

 

[freckles and boo]

When people whine about "socialism" (and boy do they whine ) they forget about institutions like public libraries. Of course, if it came down to having to choose between public safety and expanding a library I would choose public safety. However, I believe that Americans won't let their libraries die without a fight. People will raise money and they will volunteer. Libraries will suffer while the economy suffers, just as we all do, but they will rebound as well.

 

[Uncle Remus]

When people whine about "socialism" (and boy do they whine ) they forget about institutions like public libraries. Of course, if it came down to having to choose between public safety and expanding a library I would choose public safety. However, I believe that Americans won't let their libraries die without a fight. People will raise money and they will volunteer. Libraries will suffer while the economy suffers, just as we all do, but they will rebound as well.

Our library is manned by volunteers and most funding comes from donations.

Yep, we believe in socialism.

 

[loco4dis]

Our library is manned by volunteers and most funding comes from donations.

Yep, we believe in socialism.

Not to be nit picky, but what you've described is actually the opposite of socialism. It appears to be a private enterprise, unless it is also receiving government funding and employs paid government workers.

I've been to some lovely private "public" libraries, quaint, certainly hard-pressed for funds, but so devoted to their mission in the community. If I weren't already funding ours through my tax payments, I would happily fund such a private enterprise.

 

[Uncle Remus]

Not to be nit picky, but what you've described is actually the opposite of socialism. It appears to be a private enterprise, unless it is also receiving government funding and employs paid government workers.

I've been to some lovely private "public" libraries, quaint, certainly hard-pressed for funds, but so devoted to their mission in the community. If I weren't already funding ours through my tax payments, I would happily fund such a private enterprise.

Don't be nit picky in my podunk town, ya don't wanna mess with these Christians, hardly nothin' down here is private.

But I get your message, I have a Master's, I got a li'l bit of that big city education too.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I am a librarian with a master's degree in Library Science, and I am very pessimistic about the future of libraries (and my future employability). I do worry about it. My coworkers have no reall worries - they still think the library will take care of them until retirement and the union will always protect their generous medical benefits. I admit I have fears about being homeless someday with no marketable skills. But I have always been a "glass-half-empty" person. But I went into this field knowing it could die away.

I know we always have to be ready to remarket ourselves and retrain ourselves in this economy, which sounds great in theory but hard in real life. Not sure what else I could do. Being a librarian is already my third career. Sigh.

 

[castleview]

Our library should be an example of how to work a budget. They are the only organization in town that uses their money wisely AND goes above and beyond what they're given.

While I don't want socialism (people should work for their $), I look at good schools and a good library as quality of life investments for my town. With a good quality of life comes high property values also.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Having been a director of a small public library, I can tell you with great assurance that any library in my region used every dollar wisely, and with great care. Libraries often (granted, depending upon the state) have to vie for all funding. It usually comes from government sources (village, city, town, county and state) but I don't know of a public library that doesn't do fund raising.

Libraries are (arguably) the last bastion of free public education. One can borrow nearly any work, reference book, ect. from a libary that is connected to a library region.

I am not surprised that libraries will suffer during the downturn in the economy. However, don't kid yourselves. Often libraries are the last entity to receive public funds regardless of how trying the economic times may or may not be. All too often local public officials have little appreciation for the missions of public libraries. They are seen as "someone elses problem" and often go begging for even rudimentary budgets.

If public libraries charged fees associated with the lending that they do, they'd not be broke all the time, but they would then no longer be the gateway to education and information they now are.

It's never a bad idea to donate to your local public library. Oh, and I don't mean that 30 year old encyclopedia either.

 

[NotUrsula]

On my home taxes there's a specific line that says how much I've been taxed for the library and the library alone.

I realized that I have amply paid for my DVD rentals and my book requests, btw! However, it's a good investment in my community, so I'll continue to vote for the millage to keep the library funded.

But still, that tax money goes directly to the library. It doesn't touch any one else's pockets.

Is that not true in other places?

Oh, you would be amazed. I've worked in places where the library's funding came out of the same fund as police and fire protection. You can guess who always got the short end of THAT stick.

Public libraries are about the best bargain that you will ever see in terms of return on your tax investment. The average household in the US pays less than $40 per year in taxes to support a public library system; less than the price of two hardback books. We go through grad school knowing that we will have to account for every penny, and I've never known a public library system that did not make it a practice to squeeze every dime until it squeaked.

 

[NotUrsula]

When people whine about "socialism" (and boy do they whine ) they forget about institutions like public libraries. Of course, if it came down to having to choose between public safety and expanding a library I would choose public safety. However, I believe that Americans won't let their libraries die without a fight.People will raise moneyand they will volunteer. Libraries will suffer while the economy suffers, just as we all do, but they will rebound as well.

Forgive me for focusing on your bolded sentence. Yes, that does happen, and it just makes the situation worse. There have been plenty of instances in recent decades where library staff have pledged to work for free to keep from cutting hours, and every time that they do it the local government just leaves things that way -- after all, if Librarians are suckers enough to work for free, why not take advantage of it?

We work hard, and we deserve to be paid for our work. God knows we are not rolling in money -- this is a pink-collar job and it's badly paid to begin with. (Example: f/t asst. branch manager in my city's public system, WITH a master's degree, with a starting salary of under $15K, with nights/weekends required.) If working for free is the only way we can stave off service cuts, then we need to let the cuts happen -- if taxpayers value the service they will find some other way to fund it, and if they don't, then it wasn't as necessary as we thought.

 

[minnie61650]

Yes, unfortuately public libraries are having troubles in theses tough economic times.

Zoos are also being hard hit.

 

[NMAmy]

Forgive me for focusing on your bolded sentence. Yes, that does happen, and it just makes the situation worse. There have been plenty of instances in recent decades where library staff have pledged to work for free to keep from cutting hours, and every time that they do it the local government just leaves things that way -- after all, if Librarians are suckers enough to work for free, why not take advantage of it?

We work hard, and we deserve to be paid for our work. God knows we are not rolling in money -- this is a pink-collar job and it's badly paid to begin with. (Example: f/t asst. branch manager in my city's public system, WITH a master's degree, with a starting salary of under $15K, with nights/weekends required.) If working for free is the only way we can stave off service cuts, then we need to let the cuts happen -- if taxpayers value the service they will find some other way to fund it, and if they don't, then it wasn't as necessary as we thought.

I can't speak for freckles and boo, but I took that post to mean that community members would volunteer to raise money to support the library and within the library--not that library employees should work for free.

Our library has many volunteers--a Friends of the Library Association that raises money for each local branch, local teens and seniors that volunteer by shelving books, etc.

I don't see our library going anywhere soon--it's a millage that usually passes and they recently built a new overflow parking lot since it's always full. It's an extremely important part of the community.

 

[bicker]

I would guess that what were going to see is a ratcheting down of acquisitions of items that aren't traditional research sources (i.e., mainstream novels, audio and video, etc.) and a curtailing of hours. I think the main impact on staff will be a reduction in temporary and casual staff (leaving career staff to cover whatever hours are still provided).

 

[RitaE]

Public libraries are about the best bargain that you will ever see in terms of return on your tax investment. The average household in the US pays less than $40 per year in taxes to support a public library system; less than the price of two hardback books.

According to our Property Tax bill, our house pays $328 a year.

Our Library just had a referendum for an increase about 2 years ago and it passed. I really don't mind, we use the library frequently. Our library is straining at the moment, not so much from decreased funding but from increase in use. The place is packed on Saturdays now.