[Publib] ALA and Funding

Fri Feb 20 10:29:48 EST 2009

Having run one of those Barbie Dream libraries, I concur on the statement
that "most of those are so small they should be branches." This is no
aspersion to the many great library directors and staff at these libraries,
it's a simple economy of fact. I remember finding a pile of paperwork when
my library was founded where they considered being a branch, but no, the
town wanted to have "its" library. Which of course was never properly
funded.

Furthermore, thinking about user services/delivery, to start to think in
terms of centralized mass storage would be one direction to look at. Not for
everything, of course... but think of having several large
mega-floating-collections that served a large group of users. We all started
rethinking delivery models when gas prices went insane last year, and now
that prices are back down we still should be thinking about this.

Or improving statewide delivery. You know what really gets me? I can track a
book from Amazon almost door-to-door, but most regional and statewide
delivery services we throw stuff in bags and pray for the best. "We can't
afford better." We don't ask for better.

Karen

On Fri, Feb 20, 2009 at 10:21 AM, James Casey <jcasey at olpl.org> wrote:

>  I'm not sure that Michael's election to Council will constitute a
> "massive project"….  Lol    But I am with you on the massive projects
> especially when it comes to broadband in rural areas of the country.  Here
> in Illinois we have Illinois Century Network linking hundreds of academic
> and public libraries with a low cost, state subsidized Internet service.  We
> pay "peanuts" for our ISP at OLPL and have been able to upgrade our line to
> the ICN to fiber optic and our internal backbone to copper and lines to
> Cat6.  Every PL should get the same fast response time.  Even our wireless
> users can sit outside of the Library in their cars and get faster response
> time than they can at home or at any other library in our area.  ---
> Illinois is less in need of broadband than we are library construction.
> Scattered throughout Illinois we have some 650 public libraries --  several
> times more than California, Texas, etc…  Most are so small that they should
> be branches.
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* Karen Schneider [mailto:kgschneider at gmail.com]
> *Sent:* Friday, February 20, 2009 8:31 AM
> *To:* James Casey
> *Cc:* Michael Golrick; publib at webjunction.org
> *Subject:* Re: [Publib] ALA and Funding
>
>
>
> Well, what about massive projects (and oh yes, voting for Michael Golrick
> for Council is a given for me)?
>
> What about building an ILL infrastructure?
>
> What about massive book repositories?
>
> Etc.
>
> Karen
>
> On Fri, Feb 20, 2009 at 9:09 AM, James Casey <jcasey at olpl.org> wrote:
>
> I heard on the radio this morning that Illinois may be getting $8.8 billion
> in stimulus money.  I sure would like to see a mere $10 million or so go
> into public library construction grant projects.
>
>
>
> There are so many small public libraries in our state that cannot even
> afford to have a single full time staff person (let alone an MLS librarian)
> that finding money at the local level for capital improvements is all but
> impossible.  Nevertheless, who can continue library service in a building
> with a leaky roof, dead HVAC and ripped up carpets?  The need for capital
> expenditure on our library buildings is HUGE.  ---- Having been on the State
> Library's Construction Grant Review Sub-Committee since 1999, I've seen
> hundreds of grant proposals from libraries that might just as well shut
> their doors if the state funding isn't received.   And then, of course
> entire townships, villages, and even counties would be without a functioning
> public library.
>
>
>
> By the way, I am voting for Michael Golrick for re-election to ALA
> Council.  He has done a great job for us.
>
>
>
> James B. Casey – My own views
>
> Director of Oak Lawn Public Library
>
> ALA Council Member since 1996
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:
> publib-bounces at webjunction.org] *On Behalf Of *Michael Golrick
> *Sent:* Thursday, February 19, 2009 3:45 PM
> *To:* publib at webjunction.org
> *Subject:* [Publib] ALA and Funding
>
>
>
>
> Hi-
>
> I was reminded in the conversation about federal funding for libraries,
> that the re-authorization of IMLS and LSTA are scheduled for this session of
> Congress. These are critical sources of funding, and while construction was
> taken out sometime in the '90s, LSTA funding provides for many critical
> services provided by state libraries, and also provides (in some states) the
> opportunities to try new things.
>
> Funding has never been at the authorized level. For some reason Congress
> does not understand that if the funding were closer to the authorized level,
> a new formula would kick in and EVERY state would receive more money (often
> significant for libraries).
>
> So, when the ALA Washington Office asks....call your federal legislators.
> Your state library can tell you how the funds are spent in your state.
>
> Michael Golrick
> mailto:michael.golrick at gmail.com
>
> ALA Councilor-at-Large, Candidate for ALA Council 2009 (Please vote for me)
>
>
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>
>
>
>
> --
> --
> | Karen G. Schneider
> | Community Librarian
> | Equinox Software Inc. "The Evergreen Experts"
> | Toll-free: 1.877.Open.ILS (1.877.673.6457) x712
> | kgs at esilibrary.com
> | Web: http://www.esilibrary.com
> | Be a part of the Evergreen International Conference, May 20-22, 2009!
> | http://www.solinet.net/evergreen
>

-- 
-- 
| Karen G. Schneider
| Community Librarian
| Equinox Software Inc. "The Evergreen Experts"
| Toll-free: 1.877.Open.ILS (1.877.673.6457) x712
| kgs at esilibrary.com
| Web: http://www.esilibrary.com
| Be a part of the Evergreen International Conference, May 20-22, 2009!
| http://www.solinet.net/evergreen
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