So, I picked up the paper today on the way to work (why is it so odd that a sales clerk at a video store would read a paper?) and noticed the front page story about our local jewel of academia, Franklin & Marshall College. Apparently, they're turning one of their buildings in the center of the campus into a Barnes & Noble/cafe in order to stimulate more activity on the campus from both students and neighbors. The President of the college, John Fry, is quoted in the article, "Who doesn't like books and coffee?"
Well, I don't know about the coffee, but in the local section of the same paper, there's this article:
quote:Libraries upset that Pa. cuts not being restored By Bernard Harris Mar 02, 2004 1:20 PM Lancaster New Era
. . .
Librarians had hoped to expand the program beginning this summer, but under Gov. Ed Rendell's proposed budget they will be struggling to maintain the existing library hours.
After last year's public budget battle, libraries across the state suffered a 33.6 percent funding cut in the 2003-04 budget. Library officials had hoped intense lobbying would have funding restored in the coming state fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Instead, Rendell has proposed only a 10 percent increase over current funding. The result is libraries would be down about 30 percent from the level of aid the state was providing to them just over a year ago.
. . .
In Quarryville, where Duff is board president, library leaders already have cut out buying books and are relying on volunteers to clean the library. Those cuts helped deal with the $21,545 cut from state aid to the library this year.
Now, he said, they must consider more drastic cuts.
"We're contemplating whether we will have to do any hours cuts,'' said Duff. That could mean staff hours or even the library's opening hours.
It may also mean fewer programs for children, which the library had hoped to expand this year.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
I don't drink coffee, but I love books.
And I think that's very sad that they're cutting the libary's funding so much. I think children's programs at the library are a wonderful way to introduce kids to books and reading and learning, and those are things that will serve them well throughout their lives.
Posted by Godric (Member # 4587) on :
I agree! I've never been politically involved at all -- I've never even voted -- but I'm seriously considering writing a letter to someone about this. Should I write the governor or someone in the legislature? Or both?
I'm not nerely informed enough about the politics of my state, but I'm sure we can be spending more money on our library system.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
Probably would have more effect with encouraging local spending to benefit the library. Organize a book sale, or a silent auction, or a golf tournament, anything along those lines to help raise money for the library. the local people can infuse money into it faster than you'll get a response from the government.
Posted by Godric (Member # 4587) on :
That's a great idea Belle. I've been up all night (not because of this -- I just having a sleeping disorder) and I was thinking about what I could do. I must admit, I don't have much business/political knowledge -- do/can libraries accept donations? I assume so. Have you or anyone else here done anything like this before? Do you have any suggestions?
I think I shall ring up some of my slacker buddies today and swing by the library tomorrow. I need a good excuse to do something with my lazy rear-end. Posted by luthe (Member # 1601) on :
All we need to do is legalize Slot machines, so those damn west virginians will stop taking our money and then PA will have enough money to fund the second coming of christ.
Posted by dangermom (Member # 1676) on :
Here is what my local library does. There is a club, called Friends of the Library, which is a very common thing, and the usual vehicle for donations and volunteer work, etc. Our Friends have undertaken to accept book donations (people just drop them off at the library), and they have a used booksale every single Saturday morning. It took several years to work up to the point where they had enough to do that, but now it's a very popular event, and the line is out the door every Saturday.
This booksale, and other Friends activities, gets our library its book budget. We have no money for new books, just salaries for a couple of librarians and some clerks, and electricity. So anything we buy comes from the Friends.
Posted by Godric (Member # 4587) on :
Where do you live dangermom? Is the library system really so under-funded?
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