[Publib] RE: ILL Infrastructure

Tue Feb 24 13:52:49 EST 2009

Slow delivery in rural areas is only one manifestation of the central problem facing Illinois public libraries.  Anti-tax mania is that central problem.  

Not only does the State of Illinois have a $9 billion budget deficit derived from the stubborn unwillingness of our previous governors and legislative leaders to even consider raising the state income tax, but more than one million Illinois residents who don't pay property taxes to support any public library.  There are 625 public libraries in Illinois (more than three times more than there are in California) and the majority subsist on very small budgets.  Some of these libraries don't have enough tax revenue to support even one FTE.  Having examined construction grant proposals from hundreds of libraries since 1999, I've seen townships, villages and even entire counties served by one room libraries with crumbling facilities and quasi volunteer staff.  Whenever discussion moves to improving the situation through consolidation and establishing "universal service" throughout Illinois, the discussion always ends with "we can't raise taxes".  Years go by and the problem continues to worsen.  I regret to say that even the Illinois Library Association -- normally very resourceful and effective -- has yet to come out in favor of an increase in the State Income Tax.  

When I did our taxes last week, my wife and I found that we had earned enough money during 2008 that we owed several thousand dollars to the Feds, but will actually get back several hundred dollars from the State of Illinois.  While I'm not particularly fond of paying taxes, seeing human services, education and library service disintegrate amid a chronic budget deficit isn't a particularly good thing to witness.  

Ohio used to be in the situation that Illinois faces right now until in 1984, the State moved funding for libraries over to the State Income Tax.  Since the mid 1980s, Ohio has been the highest rated public library state in the USA.  It takes an investment of money to secure improved library service. 

James B. Casey --- My own views
Director of Oak Lawn Public Library
ALA Council Member

-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Katie Kraushaar
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 10:42 AM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] RE: ILL Infrastructure

Not to cause controversy, but I do have to present the other side of Illinois' delivery service.  It is all very well for those of you in Joliet and Wilmington to rejoice about how quickly materials arrive, but for those of us south of I-80 it is a different matter.  Long distances between libraries, and our dependence on distant library system headquarters (3 1/2 hours from our library) means that sometimes we do not get requested materials for 2-3 WEEKS.  Believe me, there are students who weep when we tell them the book for their research project (due Monday, and it's Thursday night) is not available for 10 days.  If materials are moving so quickly up in Chicago-land, perhaps a few dollars could be sifted off to give the rest of Illinois a chance to catch up.  

Just my thoughts, 

Katie Kraushaar 
Quincy, IL   

-----Original Message-----
Message: 1
Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2009 10:33:52 -0500
From: Karen Schneider <kgschneider at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Publib] ILL infrastructure
To: Mary Soucie <mjsoucie at wilmingtonlibrary.org>
Cc: PUBLIB <publib at webjunction.org>
Message-ID:
	<e28b6dac0902210733qdc1ded0p3ef989795f335720 at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Well, resource-sharing has always worked extremely well in Illinois...

Karen

On Sat, Feb 21, 2009 at 10:20 AM, Mary Soucie <
mjsoucie at wilmingtonlibrary.org> wrote:

> Hi all,
> Diane beat me to the punch (as usual). :-) Our delivery system in
> Illinois works really well. We usually tell patrons one week at the
> most, depending on the day the hold is placed. If we really need an item
> quickly, we can call the owning library and we'll have it in two days.
> Sometimes our patrons "complain" because their books have come too
> quickly. A nice problem to have I'm gathering.
>
> Have a great day all!
>
>
> Mary J. Soucie, MLIS
> Library Director
> Wilmington Public Library District
> Visit the world @ your library(tm)
> 201 S Kankakee St
> Wilmington IL 60481
> (815) 476-2834
> mjsoucie at wilmingtonlibrary.org
>
> My blog: http://www.wplddirectorspot.blogspot.com
>
> IM me:
> Yahoo: wplddirector
> AIM: wplddirector
>
> Wilmington Public Library District is committed to providing excellent
> comprehensive service to its community.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
> [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Dianne Harmon
> Sent: Friday, February 20, 2009 5:40 PM
> To: Sue Kamm
> Cc: PUBLIB
> Subject: RE: [Publib] ILL infrastructure
>
>  Well, it's not by air, but Illinois has a delivery service that goes
> throughout the state daily to academic libraries as well as our regional
> library systems.  Public libraries are part of the regional library
> systems so are able to take advantage of this service.  This means that
> it is possible (assuming the item is on the shelf, etc) to receive
> something from a university such as the University of Chicago within
> just a couple of days.  This has been a wonderful resource for our
> patrons.  http://www.illinoisdelivers.net/ilds-faq.html
>
> Dianne Harmon
> Associate Director
> Joliet Public Library
> 815-740-2679
> fax 815-846-3131
> www.joliet.lib.il.us
>
| 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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Message: 2
Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2009 09:36:49 -0600
From: "Mary Soucie" <mjsoucie at wilmingtonlibrary.org>
Subject: RE: [Publib] ILL infrastructure
To: "Karen Schneider" <kgschneider at gmail.com>
Cc: PUBLIB <publib at webjunction.org>
Message-ID: <466DAF9EF2992C4C9D633E2E072FA1C7749564 at owa.palslib.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Karen,
You are very right about that. We are very blessed in Illinois to have
our regional library systems and good neighbors! Our patrons can take
their Wilmington card to almost any other public library in the state
and use it. That always amazes my patrons. We're a small semi-rural
community and the ability to be able to take their card to Chicago
Public, for instance, and use it is such a great benefit!

Mary J. Soucie, MLIS
Library Director
Wilmington Public Library District
Visit the world @ your library(tm)
201 S Kankakee St
Wilmington IL 60481
(815) 476-2834
mjsoucie at wilmingtonlibrary.org

My blog: http://www.wplddirectorspot.blogspot.com
<http://www.wplddirectorspot.blogspot.com/> 

IM me:
Yahoo: wplddirector  
AIM: wplddirector

Wilmington Public Library District is committed to providing excellent
comprehensive service to its community.

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