[Publib] Dumping Dickens & keeping crowds in check

[John]

1) While there are some definite political and/or philosophical attitudes and beliefs underlying Mr. Miller's article, I would say that this is primarily a battle of words that we've fought before, and which we cannot, and maybe never will, give up, regardless of political orientation on anyone's part.  Does the name "Nicholson Baker" ring any proverbial bells?  All this will settle down, and in another four-five years, someone *else* will write an article about the callousness of libraries tossing books into dumpsters, et al.  And we will be indignant or amused or ambivalent all over again.  Nothing is new under the sun.  

Mr. Miller might be astounded to know that in 1962, when I was but a wee fifth-grader, I decided to read THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME.  This was long before Barnes & Noble, Borders, "Give 'em what they want" philosophies in libraries, et al., had appeared.  And I wanted the REAL book, not the "Classics Illustrated" version.  I recall being somewhat amazed, even then, that THE HUNCHBACK was in storage at the Topeka Public Library, and had to be dispatched from the basement to the first floor via dumbwaiter, or some contraption like a dumbwaiter.  THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME!  In storage!!  Just one step away from being discarded!!! In 1962!!!!  Why wasn't it out on the shelves with all the other classics?  (Answer: I have no idea.)

2) Re: security and marauding youth, many things are crapshoots.  When we were having problems in another place where I worked, I took the problem to the city manager, who was my boss.  He allowed as how he thought that all of us who worked at the library were getting hysterical (stereotypically hysterical females, a hysterical male director--we were all lumped together) over nothing.  What possible harm could a mob--I mean, a few teens be causing?  He repeated this mantra many times.  Finally, the husband of an employee went to a city council meeting and spoke the truth.  Then we got two police officers who alternated evenings at the library.  One cop was a good cop--he really patrolled the library and its grounds, making his presence known in a friendly, firm way.  The other one sat around and waited for his time at the library to be up.  The police chief was very understanding, had a little talk with the lazy cop...and after awhile, the l.c. went back to his old ways.  And all this, after we had tried just about everything to keep things under control.  So I feel considerable sympathy for all who have to deal with children whose parents seem to live on the moon and know not what their kids are about...and I also would not close the library (I think) after school.  I *think*.  Probably not.  Might depend on how HYSTERICAL I was feeling (see earlier reference to hysteria).

John D. Richmond, Director
Alpha Park Public Library District
3527 So. Airport Road
Bartonville, IL 61607-1799
Ph: (309) 697-3822, x. 12
Fax: (309) 697-9681
E-mail: jrichmond at alphapark.org
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Laughter and tears are a good index of being human.  Crocodiles look as though they're crying, but they're not sad.  You can program a computer to say something funny, but it will never get the joke.  -- N. T. Wright