BS: Oregon Libraries Closing

Subject: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 11:42 AM

From the listserve of the Pacific Northwest Library Association:

All fifteen branches of the Jackson County Library System in Jackson County, OR will close beginning April 7, 2007 for an indefinite period of time due to lack of funding. This includes the main headquarters library in Medford as well as fourteen other branch libraries located in Applegate, Ashland, Butte Falls, Central Point, Eagle Point, Gold Hill, Jacksonville, Phoenix, Prospect, Rogue River, Ruch, Shady Cove, Talent, and White City.

The final day to check out library materials will be Thursday, April 5th. Libraries will be open on April 6th for in-library use, and to receive returned materials. No library services will be available to the public after April 6, 2007. This includes access to library collections; use of meeting rooms; access to computers; computer instruction; adult, teen and children's programs; reference services; book delivery to the homebound and to retirement homes and daycare centers; remote computer access to electronic databases and downloadable audiobooks; wireless access; and all other library services.

The Jackson County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing regarding library services in Jackson County on Wednesday, January 31, 2007 in the County Courthouse Auditorium at 10 South Oakdale Street in Medford at 9:30 am. A second public hearing will be held on Wednesday, May 2, 2007 at 1:30 pm in the same venue.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Bill D
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 12:07 PM

*sigh*...I'll bet other portions of the area budget are interesting.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Barry Finn
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 12:41 PM

A sign of what the nation thinks of education. Shame

Barry

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 12:43 PM

Perhaps they should consider closing a few branches. Look on a map. Some of those towns are only three or four miles apart.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Ebbie
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 12:44 PM

I would hope that the closures is meant to jar the people enough to turn it around. It seems likely to me.

The State of Alaska once closed an historical site (a house museum) because of the lack of funding. (It happened to be where I was living at the time. I was able to stay but the main house below me was shuttered and silent.) Anyway, it worked. The state legislature kicked in almost immediately.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 01:26 PM

This is the location of The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, too. Medford, I mean.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 01:29 PM

That is shameful. Esp. when I hear the shrub will spend 10 BILLION to hire Iraqis to clean up their streets which we pulverised and that it will take 70 BILLION to repair/replace our military equipment which ahs been used in Iraq.

I was also so proud in New England to see all of the precious libraries, even in little tiny villages. Each one had its very own.

Poor Oregon. I hope it does shock them and many more to remember the situation.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 01:37 PM

I thought the Shakespeare festival was in Ashland.

Closing all rather than a few sounds like a shot across the bow. So to speak.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 01:40 PM

Very sad to hear of this. Libraries are pillars of free societies; much to valuable to have this happen. I hope there is some precedent for state or federal temporary funding to help out in these situations, until the town's finances improve.

Chanteyranger

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Peace
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 01:44 PM

First ya get rid of the books. Deny poorer people the right to read. Make education harder for them to attain. Yeah, yeah.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: jeffp
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 01:54 PM

Are the public schools closing too?

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Mooh
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 02:16 PM

Mankind's demise is following shortly...

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: GUEST,heric
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 02:34 PM

>I thought the Shakespeare festival was in Ashland<

True, but Ashland is in Jackson County, too. A touch of irony there.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Ebbie
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 03:01 PM

You can watch Shakespearean plays but you can't go read to the library to read them.

Legislators too have children. For that reason, if for no other, those libraries won't be closed long...

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Peace
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 03:25 PM

They provide for people who cannot afford to buy books or who are not fortunate enough to have reference materials in their own houses. There should be a public outcry over this. If some need to be consolidated, then that's one thing. But closing libraries to 'cut cost' is thoughtless, reactionary bullshit.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 03:40 PM

Couple years ago they closed some libraries in California -- Fresno, maybe, I can't remember right now. The libraries there were closed for some months, maybe a year.

Legislators are more likely to have grandchildren than children.

Nothing like shutting down the future, is there? (And don't give me any bullshit about public libraries being anachronistic -- our parking lots of about 90 spaces is FULL right now!)

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 03:51 PM

Wll, since nobody's had any comment on my previous statement, I'll say it again, but perhaps a bit more bluntly:

I again invite you to look at a map of Jackson County, Oregon, and make note of the fact that the average distance between any town where there is a branch library and the next town where there is a branch library is about five miles! Well, if you ask me, that's too damned close! A major metropolitan area may need a library every five miles, but the total population of Jackson County is less than 200,000 people. They're maintaining and staffing one library building for every 13,000 people! I would bet money that the national average is closer to one building for every 40 to 50 thousand people. Close half of those fifteen branches and there'll probably be enough money to keep the system operating.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 04:41 PM

Depends on how good the public transport is, BWL. Five miles can be quite daunting to a mom with a couple of kids and no wheels, or a teen with no wheels. Also depends on the roads, safety, etc. if the kid has a bicycle.

I personally don't think there are ever enough libraries and sometimes rural areas need them more than a metropolitan area as it IS more difficult to get from point A to point B in the boonies, no matter the population.

My maternal grandfather had the first lending library in New Castle, CO. I still have some of his books which have his name and the library number stamped in them. The current library there was built on land my paternal great-grandmother deeded to the city in exchange for social services in her last years. New Castle is not that far from Silt, Glenwood Springs, or Rifle, but it would be ridiculous for it not to have its own library, plus the commuting traffic and narrow roads would make it very hazardous and time-consuming for anyone to get to the other towns on foot or bike.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Folkiedave
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 05:15 PM

Mind you there seems to be enough money to send another 20,000 troops to Iraq. Of course there is no connection between the two.

I have been to Oregon and the Shakespeare Festival is in Ashland - the biggest in the world I believe after Stratford on Avon.

And there was a fine brewery at Rogue. In fact there were fine breweries all over Oregon. How can people be expected to find these if they cannot borrow a map from the library?

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Nancy King
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 07:55 PM

This makes me realize how lucky I am to be in Montgomery County, MD. The public library I work in (Germantown) is currently in the process of moving to a brand-new building, more than twice as big as the space we've been using. Our county system has 21 branches (plus one at the county detention facility), all of which are heavily used. At our branch alone, we routinely get 2000 or more people through the door every day in the summer (because of required summer reading programs mandated by the schools), and only slightly less the rest of the year.

I can't imagine our libraries shutting down for lack of funding -- although we have had our periods of cutbacks, with reduced staffing, reduced materials budgets, and, yes, reduced hours. The reduced hours are the only thing the public notices, though the other measures have very serious effects as well.

Libraries are tremendously important in any community, and when economic times are bad, library use goes up. Not only do libraries provide recreational reading and practical how-to-do-it information for those who can't afford to buy books, they also provide language-learning materials for new Americans, job-search helps like books on writing resumes, homework support for students at all levels, and -- tremendously important -- storytimes, picture books, and a friendly atmosphere to introduce reading and literature to very young children.

I sure hope Jackson County, OR, finds a way -- soon! -- to bring back library service to residents there.

Nancy

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 08:16 PM

Not to be argumentative, but to compare:

Population of Montgomery County, MD = 927,583. Divided by 21 library branches = one branch per 44,170 people.

Population of Jackson County, OR = 195,322. Divided by 15 library branches = one branch per 13,021 people.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 08:28 PM

BWL, you are being reasonable and presenting facts.

My town of 55,000 has, in the past 3 years, built a new high school (hugh), 4 elementary schools, rehabbed a major middle school and built a new YMCA.

Kat, all this had absolutely nothing to do with Federal funds.
And, we are not a wealthy community - perhaps better managed than Jackson County, OR.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Nancy King
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 08:50 PM

BWL, I understand your point, and realize Montgomery County MD is not comparable to Jackson County OR. I also agree with you that consolidating several branches is probably something they should consider.

But my point is that ALL communities, regardless of their population, need libraries. I feel very sorry for the residents of Jackson County OR and hope the local government will find a way to keep at least some of their libraries open.

Nancy

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 08:57 PM

The federal government doesn't supply building money to public libraries, at least not nearly as much as the communities themselves raise. Nor does it supply a large percentage of the operating expenses (in our case, for instance, less than 0.5%).

Public libraries are, by and large, supported by their communities. That might be a district, a city, a town, a village, a county, or, in the case of Ohio, from the State's general fund.

The amount of federal dollars spent is miniscule when compared to the local monies spent.

I expect this to change, probably about 2010, when the US government goes into a "sputnik-style" tizzy over China and India surpassing the US in technology....

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Ebbie
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 10:48 PM

"Population of Montgomery County, MD = 927,583. Divided by 21 library branches = one branch per 44,170 people.

Population of Jackson County, OR = 195,322. Divided by 15 library branches = one branch per 13,021 people." BWL

I heartily disagree with you, Beed. Population alone cannot be used to justify access to libraries. As katlaughing said, in rural areas it is immeasurably more difficult to get to a library. Cities have buses that run every hour or more often. In rurarl areas and in small cities there are NO buses, NO public transport.

For that matter, Juneau, Alaska, has fewer than 31,000 in population. We have 1/2 hour bus service and three taxi companies. Monday through Thursday our libraries are open from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. Friday, Saturday and Sunday they are open from 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm.

We have THREE public libraries.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 11:02 PM

Yea! Juneau!!

I know it doesn't have much to do with federal funding, but the juxtaposition of the two stories rankled and those are OUR tax dollars the shurb wants to use. If we say no to funding his BS maybe more of our money would stay in our counties. I don't know and I guess it doesn't really matter. I just thought it was noteworthy.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 11:03 PM

You all missed my point about the "shot across the bow." They could close a few and consolidate services. By closing ALL of them someone or some group (county commissioners?) is trying to get attention, to make a point. Everyone is going to be hurt by this, not just a few who would lose closeby access if some were closed. And maybe that shock will get the desired attention and reaction (adequate funding). I didn't miss what you said at all BWL, I was suggesting a reason for the act (but I was busy this morning so didn't take time to spell it out).

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Ebbie
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 11:30 PM

That's what I too was saying, Sage. The closures are slated for April. The powers may easily be jarred enough not to let it happen at all.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: GUEST,Observer
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 02:12 AM

Current president one of the most ignorant politicians of all time. He needs to make sure the downtrodden masses do not have access to learning, for if they had that access, they might stand a less bad chance of overturning the war of capital on the workers.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: autolycus
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 02:45 AM

Terrible news,I feel quite angry (and I live in East Anglia,UK).

In the richest country in the world???!!!$%^&*()???


What do the people of Oregon think?






      Ivor

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Rapparee
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 09:00 AM

The HAPLR Ratings can be criticized on several levels, but they are a way of knowing where your library ranks when compared to other libraries in your population group -- and the same criteria, that reported to the federal government, is used.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: jeffp
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 09:36 AM

A better measure of library access may be based on area. Jackson County has 2801 square miles with 15 libraries, giving one library per 186.73 square miles. Montgomery County, on the other hand, has only 507 square miles with 21 libraries, for one library per 24.14 square miles. Therefore, people in Montgomery County are likely to be much closer to a library than those in Jackson County.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Rapparee
Date: 11 Jan 07 - 05:07 PM

Here's some more explanation. Jackson County isn't alone...

Some follow up on the Josephine County (Oregon) library closings:
The counties of Southwestern Oregon, Jackson, Josephine and Douglas, are being devastated by the loss of timber reimbursement dollars from the feds. These are funds allocated in various ways (Title 1, Title 2, blah blah blah) from the federal treasury to the counties who lost revenue when the feds cut back on the timber harvests on the federal lands in those states.

It used to be that the more trees they cut, the more money flowed into the county piggy banks. Hundreds of millions of dollars that the counties became dependent upon, and were in danger of losing when the national forests began to shut down the BIG harvests.
The federal forest initiatives of the late 1990's and 2000 that put the screws on national forest harvests wiped out the "O&C" funds that kept schools open and roads plowed in thousands of communities.
The counties were really hurting until Senators Wyden and Craig worked out a compromise in 2000 that would was supposed to help the counties get themselves weaned off the timber revenue. The bill was the one with the Titles that gave the counties money in various ways to make up for the lost timber revenue. However, the bill only called for funding through September of 2006. The tap was turned off in September.

Senator Wyden is desperately trying to get the money flowing again. Unfortunately, there is a basic power struggle going on concerning the future of the forests and timber harvests. I am not going to get into a political discussion about it, but I think it safe to say the Bush Administration is determined to use the county funding issue as a bargaining chip in getting Congress to go along with the plan to sell millions of acres of public land. With the new Democratic Congress, things will get interesting.
One huge obstacle is the billions going to the war in you know where. A classic guns and butter situation that is just a preview of things to come.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Josephine County has lost about 25% of its revenue stream. Last year the citizens of Josephine County voted to build new libraries throughout the county, including Medford. When the library people realized what was going to happen to them, they put an operational levy before the voters. It failed. (" We just gave you millions for the library, and now you want more to operate them?") So there will be new libraries that will not open. Weird. The government of Josephine County will be discussing their library situation this spring. Best wishes to them.

In neighboring Jackson County, the main library is now open 15 hours a week. Isn't that as good as being closed?

If the feds keep the tap shut, Douglas County may be next. Douglas County gets about 60% of its operating funds from those federal dollars. I spoke with Max Leek, ex-Pocatello librarian, who now directs the Douglas County library headquartered in Roseburg. Max doesn't know what's going to happen. I used to live in Douglas County, and I know the people in the county highly value their libraries, and they have some pretty damn good ones. It's as politically conservative as Idaho, but Max says the Commissioners attitude is that they are going to find some way to keep their libraries open.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: GUEST,chinadoll66102
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 09:56 PM

I went into the Ashland library today and saw the big sign posted that they were closing (I just recently got back from christmas break)

Firstly, here are a few articles explaining what's going on:

http://www.dailytidings.com/2007/0108/stories/0108_library.php

Secondly, here is an article explaining federal involvment:


"County Administrator Susan Slack shared information about Jackson County's budget and funding issues. She noted that Jackson County receives more than $16 million in "O & C" revenue each year from the federal government. Another $4 million comes to the road fund from "Forest Service" receipts. The last of these annual payments are to arrive in fall 2006. Congress may or may not decide this spring whether to reauthorize these yearly revenue streams beyond the 2006-07 fiscal year. The Board of County Commissioners asked her to recommend a plan for how to deal with this nearly $22 million annual shortfall if it occurs."


http://www.jcls.org/lac/lac1015_05_special.html

So, in a round about way, it is connected to the tightening of the federal budget. but secondly, from what I understand it there was mismanaging of money on the O & C side. I have not been able to find out the whole story, but it's a combination of things alltogether, as always.

I personally do really think though, that people in this county voted down the tax levy because, like someone in the first article states, they thought that it wouldn't happen. That it wouldn't resort to this. Here in Oregon mainly with the school systems frankly, our money seems to dissapear out of our pockets thanks to taxes, yet things don't seem to get any better. I think the vote was more from people in disbelief, or angry at the fact that it seems there is a growing trend that money gets voted in, yet the beurocrates are always saying they need more.

I also think one of the commenters in the above was right-closing down all of them I think, is going to get a lot of attention. Closing down half would not pull in nearly as much attention. In other words, close down a few-no fuss. Close down all, big fuss, and more likely for people to get out there, protest, and find a way for alternative funds.

And I also agree with the posting about how we really don't need 15 libraries here. We really don't. Medford and Ashland are the largest cities IN jackson county-here is a map of the area:

http://www.city-data.com/tym/un2219.gif

I can't even believe there ARE 15 public libraries in this county. I'd say we could knock off about 5 of them at least.


But anyway. It's quite sad, yes. In all honesty, Oregon as a whole just isn't doing as well as it could be. Employment-wise, school-wise, we've been struggling, probably half due to the little things-like the timber issue, salmon, etc-and half due to our politicians seemingly not spending the money in places that they should.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Rapparee
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 10:00 PM

Golly, think of that! Politicians not spending money where they should! Who ever woulda thunk it??

Oregon has some other problems, too -- like the lawsuits from the "eminent domain reform" that Idaho rejected last November.

Shame, really. Oregon was a pretty good state.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Jan 07 - 12:00 AM

Thanks, Rapaire, for posting that article. From that and Chinadoll's, I see I had some of it right in pointing to the Feds. It is obscene what this country is spending on the Shrub's Folly and hearing of the plight of libraries, schools, etc.

May all the good people of OR find a way to fund these precious resources.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 07:17 AM

From: Peace - PM
Date: 10 Jan 07 - 01:44 PM

First ya get rid of the books.

We.e.e.e.l.l.

Another Library Trend?
Jan. 3, 2006 | 12:08 p.m. ET

[quote]
Libraries lose the classics
(Kellyanne Dignan, "Scarborough Country" producer)

Say goodbye to Hemingway and Faulkner, and hello to Potter and Grisham. The Washington Post reports Fairfax County, Va., public libraries are dumping some classic books to make room for DVDs, computers, music and, oh yeah, more popular reading materials. What is this, amazon.com?

Now, I get that libraries have limited space and often very limited budgets to add more space so some culling of the collections will always be necessary. That said, there is something about replacing "Abraham Lincoln: His Speeches and Writings" with a Harry Potter DVD that just doesn't sit right.

Fairfax County librarians defend the decision to stop carrying all classic books at every library branch as necessary to not only save space but give the public what they want. Apparently some of the classics, including works from Emily Dickinson and Marcel Proust, hadn't been checked out in more than two years.
... ...
I searched middle school classics like Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" and J.D. Salinger's "Catcher In The Rye": both produced fewer titles than Cecily Von Ziegesar's popular Gossip Girls series. For those of you not familiar with the "Gossip Girls," earlier this year Naomi Wolf compared them to pornography in The New York Times.
[endquote]

A bit more at the link, and probably no surprise to anyone.

Lin checked at her old town library a year or so ago, and found several books with her name in them, most of which hadn't been checked out since she left XXXXXXXX (censored) years ago; but they do have a really good high-speed web link, in a town of <1,000 where the citizens can't even get on by dial-up.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Rapparee
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 09:07 AM

Fairfax County isn't tossing all the classics. They're simply removing copies from every branch -- you'll still be able to get Aristotle's Poetics but it might be at another branch than "yours" and you could either drive over or have it sent. There's a difference between being inconvenienced and being denied entirely.

Not that I'm defending the decisions of another library, but the story on this which I read in the Washington Post wasn't all that clear.

This is NOT a new idea. Cuyahoga County PL in Ohio has for many years had "specialized branches" -- you get the basics, and "your" branch then specializes in music or history or whatever.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Peace
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 11:33 AM

"Not to be argumentative, but to compare:

Population of Montgomery County, MD = 927,583. Divided by 21 library branches = one branch per 44,170 people.

Population of Jackson County, OR = 195,322. Divided by 15 library branches = one branch per 13,021 people."

It is obvious that Montgomery County needs more librairies.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: GUEST,Nancy King at work
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 10:42 AM

That works for me, Peace!

Actually, there is another branch in the planning stages -- in Clarksburg, in the northern part of the county where the population is growing very fast.

As for the Fairfax library weeding out the classics, I'm just glad the story was about them, and not us. It's really unfortunate that it got in the paper at all, as weeding is something all libraries have to do regularly (otherwise there would be no room for new materials), but it's often misunderstood by the public. A few days after that article appeared, the Post published a letter from the director or some other official of the Fairfax system, who tried to explain that they weren't getting rid of ALL copies of the books mentioned, that they still had plenty, etc. etc. I don't know of any librarian who LIKES weeding -- quite aside from the boring nature of the task, it goes against our natural inclination to preserve books -- but we all have to do it, and then we have to explain it to people who don't understand the necessity.

Nancy

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Riginslinger
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 11:12 AM

Right next door, in Josephine County, Oregon, we'd like to help you out, but our libraries are scheduled to close as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Jan 07 - 11:51 AM

There's an interesting article HERE about the digitalization of libraries.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: jeffp
Date: 21 Jan 07 - 01:56 PM

A better measure of library access may be based on area. Jackson County has 2801 square miles with 15 libraries, giving one library per 186.73 square miles. Montgomery County, on the other hand, has only 507 square miles with 21 libraries, for one library per 24.14 square miles. Therefore, people in Montgomery County are likely to be much closer to a library than those in Jackson County.

Repeat: Jackson County - 1 library/186.73 sq. mi.
         Montgomery County - 1 library/24.14 sq. mi.


A much shorter trip to the library in Montgomery County, no matter how many people share it. I would venture that Montgomery's libraries are much bigger than Jackson's. I know they're big. I grew up there. Most people are in walking distance from one.

Subject: RE: BS: Oregon Libraries Closing
From: Riginslinger
Date: 21 Jan 07 - 02:09 PM

Digitizing books is only a fractional solution. A library, or call it what you will, would still have to exist in order for people without resources to come in and access a computer.

         On top of that, without libraries, where would derelict old men find a warm cozy place to come in out of the cold and read a newspaper?