BS: Free Library of Philadephia Closing (not now)

Subject: RE: BS: Free Library of Philadephia Closing (not n
From: M.Ted
Date: 19 Sep 09 - 02:03 AM

Typically, when it's budget time, governments threaten to cut high profile and essential programs--that way, there is a public outcry, and when solve the problem with a tax increase, everyone thinks that they won something. And Philly is no different, well, probably worse than most.

Subject: RE: BS: Free Library of Philadephia Closing
From: SharonA
Date: 18 Sep 09 - 03:17 PM

Rapaire is right -- the news has changed. The crisis has been averted. The Pennsylvania state legislature approved a "relief package" to prevent what Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter called a "doomsday" plan that would have seen massive layoffs of police officers, firefighters and other city workers as well as the closure of all public libraries and other buildings such as recreational centers.

Basically, what happened was that the state legislature did not pass a state budget when it was supposed to, and it's been in a staring contest with the Philadelphia government for months. The state finally blinked, one day before the "doomsday" scenario would have to have been played out in the city.

I live in the suburbs of Philly, so I've been watching this from the sidelines. I was confident that this would be the outcome; it's typical of the politics around here. But it angers me that these political games caused such stress for so many people who were on the verge of receiving pink slips. On the local news today, there was a video of a bonfire made up of a pile of those pink slips. What a waste of people's time and energies (not to mention the waste of paper!).

So the sales tax will be going up to 8% in Philadelphia, which is one of the things the state didn't want to happen... and which is even less of an incentive for us suburbanites to go into the city to shop, when we can shop locally and pay only 6% (and park our cars for free instead of paying the parking rates in Philly).

Sharon

Subject: RE: BS: Free Library of Philadephia Closing
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Sep 09 - 07:15 PM

It didn't when I posted it. The web changes as the news changes.

Subject: RE: BS: Free Library of Philadephia Closing
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 17 Sep 09 - 07:07 PM

I'm puzzled - that link Rapaire gave says "Legislation to keep libraries open passes!" Why is that "a goddamned tragedy"?

Subject: RE: BS: Free Library of Philadephia Closing
From: artbrooks
Date: 17 Sep 09 - 06:16 PM

Apparently all the fuss about the library closing completely was to pressure the state senate into approving a 1% increase in the Philly local sales tax...which was voted out of committee this afternoon. However, my daughter (who is a librarian in Pittsburgh) says that their overall budget will take a 30%+ hit in the next fiscal year.

Subject: RE: BS: Free Library of Philadephia Closing
From: Will Fly
Date: 17 Sep 09 - 01:34 PM

Another many reasons to get the hell out of foreign wars and use that money elsewhere.

Kat - you never said a truer word!

Subject: RE: BS: Free Library of Philadephia Closing
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Sep 09 - 12:43 PM

Another many reasons to get the hell out of foreign wars and use that money elsewhere. This is truly alarming.

There is an interesting article on Public Library Funding. i liked this, esp.:

"The focus groups were unanimous in their belief that the most compelling argument in support of funding increases for public libraries is the important truth that U.S. public libraries provide equal access to valuable information resources for all residents," says De Rosa.

Subject: RE: BS: Free Library of Philadephia Closing
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Sep 09 - 12:30 PM

I've been posting this around. Not like our little tweets and squawks are going to make a difference, but when you take away this kind of access to free resources from a population you are condemning them to a special kind of purgatory.

Subject: RE: BS: Free Library of Philadephia Closing
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Sep 09 - 12:27 PM

Paulding, Ohio:

Library Budget Cuts -- Effective July 13,2009

Due to a 31% reduction in state funding to the Public Library Fund, the following preliminary budget cuts have been made by the Board of Trustees:

►All library locations will be closed on Saturdays & Sundays.

►The Antwerp Branch Library will be closed on Thursday.

►The Cooper Community Library, Oakwood will be closed on Wednesday.

►The Payne Branch Library will be closed on Tuesday.

►The main library in Paulding will be closed on Friday.

►All staff will take a five-hour cut in hours per week.

►No new materials will be ordered.

University libraries, too:

The Cornell University Library will have to cut around about $944,000 from the fiscal year 2010 materials budget.

The Emory University Libraries have "already cut $200,000 from the current (2008/2009) collections budget" and more cuts are planned in FY 2010:
   
The MIT Libraries are faced with a $1.4 million budget cut this summer:

The UCLA Libraries are facing a cut of over $400,00 this year alone:

The University of Tennessee Libraries sent a February 16th memo to deans, department heads, and library representatives saying that they were "facing a potential 8% base budget cut. This cut represents reductions totaling $1,343,299 from the library's operations, personnel, and collections budget."

The University of Washington Libraries have submitted a business plan to the Provost and Executive Vice President that reflects "levels of reduction in central support of 8%, 10%, and 12%." In dollar terms, these reductions are $2,457,962, $3,072,452, and $$3,686,943 respectively.

The Yale University Library is cutting its collection budget for the first time due to budget shortfalls:

Subject: RE: BS: Free Library of Philadephia Closing
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 17 Sep 09 - 12:09 PM

This is terrible. I believe strongly in public libraries, having, myself, two different cards.

But one wonders what proportion of the city library budget is dependent on state funding, to necessitate such drastic cuts resulting in a meltdown of the system. It seems to me that the folks of Philadelphia must need take more responsibility for keeping the library system functioning.

Subject: RE: BS: Free Library of Philadephia Closing
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Sep 09 - 11:50 AM

"Philadelphia's library system is the sixth-largest public library in the nation. Benjamin Franklin created its precursor, the Library Company of Philadelphia, which was the first public library in the country."

Subject: RE: BS: Free Library of Philadephia Closing
From: Will Fly
Date: 17 Sep 09 - 11:44 AM

Jesus - can you credit it! I've been a librarian in my day job from 1962 to 2009, and I've never heard of a major library closure like this. We've had some public funding cuts in the UK over the years, with threats of more, but this has usually ended up as a curtailment of some hours or closure of some smaller/quieter branches. Nothing on this scale.

When I think of the "Penny Rate" that the Victorians introduced to support the Public Library Movement in the UK, the introduction of the old Mechanics' Institutes to help working class people to read and educate themselves, the wonderful work of libraries as providers of instruction, education, entertainment, civilising influences, etc., it makes me wonder just how far we've come.

Perhaps there's some hope in their statement:

Even as we remain hopeful that the State Legislature will act and pass the enabling funding legislation, we wanted to notify all of our customers of this very possible outcome.

Let's hope so - and let's hope our current politicians get beyond the mindset that libraries are a luxury, to be axed at the first sign of public funding squeezes. They may not save lives like hospitals or firefighters, but they save lives in another, more spiritual way.

Just my rant...

Subject: RE: BS: Free Library of Philadephia Closing
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Sep 09 - 11:37 AM

If we lose our free libraries, we lose our country...I hope the PA legislature finds a way to stop this action. It is obscene to think all the library does will be taken away. The Library is such an Institution, such an important part of our society. I cannot even fathom the thought of our country without libraries.

Subject: RE: BS: Free Library of Philadephia Closing
From: Azizi
Date: 17 Sep 09 - 11:33 AM

Is this the city's Public Libray system?!

It sounds like it. See this excerpt from that link that Rapaire gave above:

"Specifically, the following will take effect after the close of business, October 2, 2009:

All branch and regional library programs, including programs for children and teens, after school programs, computer classes, and programs for adults, will be cancelled

All Parkway Central Library programs, including children programs, programs to support small businesses and job seekers, computer classes and after school programs, will be cancelled. We are exploring the possibility of relocating the Philadelphia Author Series programs to other non-library facilities.

All library visits to schools, day care centers, senior centers and other community centers will cease.

All community meetings at our branch and regional libraries, and the Parkway Central Library, will be cancelled.

All GED, ABE and ESL programs held at Free Library branches will be discontinued, students should contact their teacher to see if other arrangements are being made"

-snip-

Wow! How terrible!

And that list doesn't include how many working parents probably use the library as a safe place where their children can go after-school (kinda like an unofficial child care sitter).

I'm wondering if this is a threat so that that system gets more money from the state.

If the library system really goes forward with this, it will indeed be a tragedy.

And if Philly does this, can Pittsburgh's equally important public library system follow suit?

Subject: RE: BS: Free Library of Philadephia Closing
From: Amos
Date: 17 Sep 09 - 11:28 AM

Holy jumping jehosaphat, Rapaire. It sure is.



A

Subject: BS: Free Library of Philadephia Closing
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Sep 09 - 11:18 AM

See here.

This is nothing to be proud of; it's a goddamned tragedy.