[Publib] Providence Public Library

[Robert Balliot]

According to the Providence Business News, most of the employees of the
Providence Public
Library in Rhode Island (PPL) are getting layoff notices.  The branch
libraries of the PPL are being
turned over to the City of Providence from the non-profit the runs the PPL.
And, a new bureaucracy
has been formed to run the branches. The main branch, which will not be
turned over  also
receives major funding to serve as the state-wide reference resource center.

http://www.pbn.com/detail/41951.html

 The question to Providence is how to continue to keep the branches open
with insufficient
funding.  The new bureaucracy is not generating any new revenue, but says it
can do a
better job and run the branches more efficiently - allowing them to remain
open.

All of the public libraries currently belong to the same network - Ocean
State Libraries
and share the same catalog, bylaws, and funding sources.  The network is
funded by
the State and the local towns and municipalities.  Along with that layer of
bureaucracy,
the State Office of Library and Information Services receives millions to
fund salaries
to administer library programs.

So, millions in funding go towards the notion of managing library services
while branches
are closed and actual library employees are laid off due to lack of funding.
And, the answer
is to create yet another another managerial bureaucracy.

R. Balliot
http://oceanstatelibrarian.com
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