[Publib] Stimulus Two

[Backwage at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/19/2009 7:38:07 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
lknieriem at rogersark.org writes:

Speaking as a  librarian *and* a taxpayer, if  my library had spent the tens 
of thousands of dollars it costs to develop  “shovel-ready” plans for 
constructing new facilities on the off-chance that a  huge federal spending program 
would drop a chunk of change our way to build  it, I’d be outraged.


They do, if they're smart, or large enough to have staff for that.
 
But they don't just wait for federal funding.  They plan for state and  local 
funding, bond issues and the like.  And also for their regular budget  
cycles, when they get to ask for money.  It happens all the time.  Or  should.  This 
has less to do with the big hunk of stimulus money than it  has to do with 
the fact that, with everybody on earth understanding that a  change in 
administrations was on the horizon (about two years before the  election) that the 
library's principal representative organization was still  flat-footed when it 
came time to insert provisions relative to that  organizations primary 
role--which might not be lobbying, but actually has  something to do with the library.
 
The problem here is that the library world is so badly represented that it  
can count on something as small as the broadband funding as a significant  
victory.  
 
There is no way around this:  look at other national organizations and  see 
what they do for their institution.  
 
Let me show you the excuse matrix for ALA:
 
1.  We're too small to work like other organizations.
2.  Libraries are operated by their own agencies.  We can't  influence that.
3.  Our lobbying role is limited to the issues our members consider  
important.
4.  There is no received consensus on what ALA should do about library  
funding.
 
[I suppose that ALA is awaiting a Resolution by its Council.  I'd love  to 
write one.]
 
All in all, the library is better served by other agencies that lobby or  
support funding for other issues that just happen to affect the library:  
construction lobbies, technology organizations, and especially, groups that sell  
books, software and library furnishings.  Architects do more to support new  
construction of libraries than the ALA.  
 
The problem is that little has been done, and we've become used to it; that  
and the fact that alternatives are considered terra incognita and shunned.   
We are happy and warm in our tattered blanket, knowing no other and wishing for 
 no change.
 
M. M. 
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