In my mind, library advocacy involves spreading the good word and refuting the others. I have submitted a Letter-to-the-Editor of the Christian Science Monitor in response to a recent article by William H. Wisner entitled “Restore the noble purpose of libraries“. My letter is below in case the CSM does not publish it. I agree with
◊ Funding ◊
The actual cost of my library
Like most government budgets, my town’s municipal budget is disorganized and conceals as much as it reveals. It is virtually impossible to answer simple questions like “How much of our annual budget is allocated to the library?” So no one truly knows the actual cost of our library or any other department. That’s an obvious
Library neglect
In a passionate, must-read editorial from March 2005, William Ecenbarger calls the state of public library funding a “national calamity”. The author attributes root cause to “a kind of indifference bordering on neglect on the part of library patrons, and a kind of neglect bordering on negligence on the part of public officials“. I don’t
Library funding in sharp relief
In addition to better supporting materials for library advocacy, we need statements that bring the national library funding crisis into sharp relief. By way of example, which of the passages below provides more information and impact for you? Over the past three decades, California has tripled the number of prisons it operates, has more than
Consolidate and conquer
The U.S. public library system is wonderfully and fatally interspersed. The wonder comes from its reach, diversity and cooperation. Thousands of libraries span the American landscape. Each reflects its local constituency and caters to its unique needs. They do so with enough standardization to enable anyone to enter a library anywhere in the country and seek assistance,
The national library crisis
In 2009, libraries in all but the most affluent communities across the country have suffered closures, decertification or dramatic cuts. This… is a huge loss to our communities and national heritage. makes us a more unequal society. removes educational opportunities. hurts the economy by reducing property values. must not be pushed off until the next
Better supporting materials for library funding
I recently highlighted the need for better materials to support a conversation on public library funding. What might those materials look like? Informative quizzes like Facts, Myths & What Most Americans Know About Energy. Links to external data such as Planet Forward’s Fast Facts About Energy. Concise perspective summaries as found in the Issue Guide
Managing the message
On June 11, MSNBC’s TODAY show ran a 4 minute segment on public libraries. It echoed newspaper stories of the past few months by reporting a dual recessionary effect of increased library usage and jeopardized funding. National coverage is a welcome development. It’s time to help the mainstream media realize there’s a compelling story here—and
Books, buildings and bodies
In a May 2008 interview, Jeff Krull, Director of the Allen County Public Library described short-term strategies for addressing the funding crisis. Jeff boiled financial management of the large system he manages down to books, buildings and bodies. Following years of level-funding or budget reductions, saving money for public libraries means cutting collections, deferring building maintenance
Public libraries and single-payer healthcare
Coalition building was a topic at the Massachusetts Library Association’s annual conference earlier this month. Speaker Margie Schuster encouraged attendees to take one more step—in addition to lobbying and message development—and create a coalition to expand into a broader sphere. Good advice. Given the magnitude of the library funding crisis, I’d urge state and national library
