Weed What When?
I think the days of libraries saying, ‘We must have that, because it’s good for people,’ are beyond us. There is a sense in many public libraries that popular materials are what most of our communities desire. Everybody’s got a favorite book they’re trying to promote. – Leslie Burger
My library expanded back when I first went to work here in 1999. And we are on track for a new multi-million dollar larger building sometime in the next few years. The problem, in the meantime, is we have already filled all the space we left open for expansion originally. We have weeded along the way (Florida guidelines call for 5% per year as a routine matter) but we may very well be forced to do soon something similar to what Fairfax is doing.
I am sure this is a topic I will be writing more about.
Successfully Networked Public Libraries
I got an e-mail about the doctoral program at Florida State University. Clicking through the links led me to these studies on Public Libraries & the Internet. When I get time, I intend to go back and read them through them a lot more thoroughly.
Reinstated in Valparaiso
Sue Martin, who was recently suspended from her job at the Valparaiso Community Library, has been reinstated.
I am extremely pleased to share that the Valparaiso City Commission voted 4-1 last night to dismiss all charges against library director Sue Martin and have reinstated her as library director effective immediately. The commissioner who brought the charges against Sue will no longer be responsible for the library or serve on my governing board. A new city commissioner who has long been a strong library supporter will be responsible for the library. Computers will be placed back in the library this week. In Valparaiso, the commissioners are responsible for overseeing city departments. This means that the library director’s supervisor is an elected official. About 150 people attended the meeting last night with others being turned away. The elected official who brought the charges again Sue refused to be sworn in or to testify. The meeting was a quasi judicial hearing. – Robert Gorin, Director of the Okaloosa County Library Cooperative.
It would have been better had this incident not happened at all, but at least it seems to have had a happy ending.
ExpressCheck
Our Director was so excited over the Express/Self-Service Checkout demonstrations she saw at ALA this year that she has been wanting to do the same thing around here. So…
As you can see, we are just beginning to get started today. Reaction from the staff and our patrons has been quite positive. What this isn’t about is making do with less staff (we are actually going to be increasing one position when the new fiscal year begins in October). What this is about is improving the experience for anyone who wants to use library services.
I can’t wait to see what things are like when we really get going.
Out of Business
Public libraries spend less than 10 per cent of their budget on books and are losing borrowers at such a rate that they will all have closed in 15 years, according to a former managing director of Waterstone’s bookshops. Tim Coates, a consultant who produced a report 14 months ago on the “cumbersome” management of libraries, said he was exasperated by the lack of progress since. – Catriona Davies
Uh huh. Sure.
