Save your local! Should volunteers help keep our public libraries open?

Public libraries | UK | Volunteers

Alison Flood  | Tuesday 8 August 2017

Kensal Rise Library in London, where volunteers have set up a community library. Photograph: Martin Godwin for the Guardian 

 

 

 

Readers checking a book out of the village library might not immediately notice much of a difference, but Congresbury is the latest public library to haven been handed over “to the community”. You may be used to libraries being run by volunteers – maybe your local is – but this structure is relatively new. Over the last decade, as many libraries began closing across the UK due to swingeing cuts to local authority funding by central government – 121 libraries closed last year alone – some have instead been handed over by councils to the community to run.

Since librarian Ian Anstice began charting the cuts to UK libraries on his campaigning website Public Libraries News in 2010, 500 of the UK’s 3,850 remaining libraries have now been taken over, at least in part, by volunteers. “I’ve been looking at the count going up steadily for the last few years,” says Anstice. “In 2010, there were a handful – perhaps 10 in the whole country. So this is quite a staggering change.”  Read more:

School libraries are essential for learning

Masterman principal Marjorie Neff sits in the school's closed library, which was closed last year due to budget cuts. TOM GRALISH / Staff

POSTED: Monday, December 1, 2014, 1:07 AMBy Carol Heinsdorf

and Debra Kachel


In 1991, there were 176 certified librarians in Philadelphia public schools. This year there are 11 and only five are known to be actually doing what they were trained to do. Five librarians for the nation's eighth-largest school district.


Leaving Philadelphia's public school libraries without professional staffing is a grave mistake. It will have consequences for the students for the rest of their lives. Study after study shows a clear link between school libraries staffed by certified librarians and student achievement.

Read more ...

City Schools Are Quietly Using Fewer Librarians - WSJ.com

By
• LISA FLEISHER
• CONNECT

A difficult new chapter is under way for librarians in New York City public schools.
Officials estimate more than half of the city's high schools are in violation of state regulations that require schools to employ either part-time or full-time librarians, depending on enrollment.

Now, the Department of Education is preparing to ask the state to waive those requirements, arguing city schools can provide adequate library services even if there isn't a librarian in every school. New York would be the first district in the state to receive such a waiver, state officials said.

"We're looking for as much flexibility as we can get that still allows us to provide adequate staffing levels," said Gregg Betheil, an executive director of academic and talent management for the DOE. He said smaller schools can often share librarians.
The request comes after the teachers union complained to the state about the lack of librarians, and moved its case to court when the state declined to act. Please read more...

Why Closing Half Of Miami-Dade's Libraries Is Dumb | WLRN

Enlarge image

Credit mdpls.org 

“Who says that we get to kill all the books,” asked District 10 City Commissioner Javier Soto.

Miami, apparently, does.

The decision yesterday was made to theoretically close 22 libraries (10 storefronts and 12 branches) as well as lay off 251 employees. This number is presented as the worst-case scenario. While it could be less, the closings are nearly half of the libraries in Miami-Dade.
It’s a common sentiment, with the Internet having overrun our daily lives, that libraries have become increasingly irrelevant. People don't mind the idea of "killing all the books," and that the debate about the fate of libraries came to the city commissioners of the county. They didn't kill all the books, but they definitely leveled a major blow.

I think we often underestimate the importance of libraries. The Internet is a relatively new experiment, one on which America has bet a lot of her chips. Due to the constant access many of us enjoy, not everyone has a the luxury of a smartphone or laptop. Read more...

As Use of Libraries Grows, Government Support Has Eroded - NYTimes.com

As Use of Libraries Grows, Government Support Has Eroded - NYTimes.com

Government & Politics January 8, 2013, 8:37 am15 Comments

By SAM ROBERTS

Kirsten Luce for The New York Times The after-school scene at the Corona branch of the Queens Library, where parents bring children to receive help on their homework.

To see how New York City’s library systems stack up next to other big cities’ libraries in terms of government support, you might want to check the cookbook shelves under “chopped liver.”

In Columbus, Ohio, the libraries are open an average of 29 more hours a week. San Francisco’s receive up to three times as much per capita from the local government.
Meanwhile, New York’s three public library systems — workhorses all — are trying to do more with less: the city’s contribution to their operating budgets has declined by more than 7 percent, adjusted for inflation, over the past decade, even as circulation and program attendance have increased.

That’s the conclusion of an analysis of New York’s libraries and a comparison with 21 other major American library systems, plus Toronto’s, published Tuesday morning by the Center for an Urban Future. Read more...

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10 Most Innovative Ways to Pay Teachers - Best Colleges Online

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posted on Wednesday August 1, 2012 by Staff Writers

With merit pay for teachers surging through political debates these days, detractors to the whole system might prefer keeping alternative methods of making sure teachers receive adequate compensation in mind. Some schools, cities, and states — even enterprising individuals — believe these strategies will address the issues associated with both the current system and the controversial merit pay alike. Whether or not they grow into the new norm elsewhere, or fizzle out over time remains to be seen, but for now let’s watch and see how things develop. [Read more...]

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Grassroots Advocacy: Putting Yourself Out There | American Libraries Magazine

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By Lauren Comito, Aliqae Geraci, and Christian Zabriskie

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Reading As Rebellion | Save NYC Libraries

Reading As Rebellion | Save NYC Libraries

 Come out and read out for public libraries in New York City. Once again the three library systems are facing historic cuts and once again library supporters are pushing back. The third 24 Hour Read In will take place on June 9-10 from 4PM to 4PM and once again we will be on the steps of the Brooklyn Public Library in Grand Army Plaza. It will be another days worth of literary library activism.
This is going to be our biggest year ever. The base of the protest remains the same, over a hundred voices read around the clock. A full 24 hour day is broken into 15 minute intervals and volunteers read pretty much whatever they like for their quarter of an hour. The rules are simple, no speeches only reading. Family storytime is from 8AM to noon on Sunday so select your materials accordingly. The dark hours from 2AM-4AM are for the steamy stuff and heckling is to be expected.  Read more.

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Christian Zabriskie: Confronting The Biggest Threat To The Public Library

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HarperCollins 26+ checkouts : Pioneer Library System

Save the NYC Libraries Postcard Campaign

Image via Wikipedia

Members: Please review this urgent communication from the organizers of Urban Librarians Unite. I received this bulletin from the president of SLA NY Chapter. Please respond in any way you deem appropriate from sending the postcards to ... Read moresubmitting your own ideas. I believe there will be a rally Tuesday. Watch this space!

The following message was sent to SLA-NY members by Leigh Hollingsby. If you haven't already sent in a postcard, please do so. Public libraries are essential elements of NYC communities. Public libraries and public librarians need your support.

From: Christian Zabriskie

First and foremost thank you all for your support and assistance with the Save the NYC Libraries Postcard campaign. The purpose of this email is to bring core stake holders and contacts up to date.

Queens Library issued 90 day notices to over 35% of its staff last week. We hope that the library will be able to retract ALL of the more than 400 letters that went out. The fact that Queens is doing this should be seen as the canary in the coal mine at other systems. If this budget goes through not only will we be forced to close dozen of libraries across the city but scores will be only open 2-3 days a week. The library will become one more inconvenience and the habit of usage will drop off.

Through your efforts the postcard campaign is going well. We have cards coming in from all over the city and people have been soliciting postcards in the community and at library rallies. CM Van Bramer and his office are pleased with how the campaign is progressing and have been great to work with throughout. We have a very active Facebook group with nearly 800 members and growing steadily:

http://www.facebook.c...

We are also trying to use Facebook as an organizational tool for events to support the libraries. We have photos from rallies up there as well as news about the budget fight. There has been increasing news coverage of the impact this budget will have on libraries, a trend we hope will continue. Clips follow this message.

This is a remarkable group of allies and I would like to commend and thank you for that. Currently this campaign has been endorsed at varying levels by Urban Librarians Unite, Local 1321 Queens Library Guild, Metro Library Council, ACRL/NY, SLA/NY, LLA/NY, The Desk Set, Rad Ref/NYC, and The Last Hire/First Fire Activist Council & Breakfast Club. Your members are our heroes and without your support and efforts this campaign would not be possible.

As layoffs become a reality people often shrug and say ?what can you do about it?. You are proving what we can do about it. We have over a thousand cards in already. Local 1321 has printed up thousands more which are out in the hands of membership, Desk Set will be creating silk screened postcards this weekend, we have people all over the city using them in children?s craft projects, it has been an amazing show of support.

I am asking you here to redouble your efforts. For all our success the budget question is only looming closer. Now is the time to remind any and everyone who will listen what is at stake and what they can do. It is as simple as dropping a postcard in the mail, then asking any and everyone who will listen to do the same.

Thank you for your ongoing efforts, together we can save our libraries.

Christian Zabriskie
Urban Librarians Unite

Press:
http://www.nytimes.co...

http://www.nytimes.co...

http://www.nydailynew...

http://thedeskset.org...

http://graphicnovelre...

http://thedeskset.org...


The Save NYC Libraries Postcard Campaign

WHAT IT IS: We are calling on all New Yorkers to write postcards to the New York City Council to show their love for and support of New York City?s public libraries. Any postcard will do! Possibilities include using NYC souvenir postcards, penny postcards, or make your own! Encourage your friends, family, and neighbors to join you in writing postcards in support. Get your postcards in early, often, and in bulk!

AESTHETIC: We are encouraging non-uniformity. We want our voice to stand out and apart from mass-produced advocacy campaigns. We believe that personalized, mailed physical items carry greater weight with our elected representatives than a virtual petition or a Facebook group.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the Save NYC Libraries Postcard Campaign is to unite library staff and community members in support for New York City?s public library systems (Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library, and Queens Library) and in opposition to the proposed budget cuts for the next fiscal year. While we understand that New York City is facing a difficult economic climate, we believe that public library service must be strengthened, not dismantled, in order to serve the diverse educational and informational needs of New York City residents.

READ IN: We are currently exploring the option of holding a Save NYC Libraries Read-In as an awareness raising tool and as a feeder for the postcard campaign. We envision this as a 24 read-a-thon that will draw public and media attention to the postcard campaign. Please contact us if you are interested in planning or hosting a Read-In to Save NYC Libraries.

PARTNERSHIPS: We are actively working to partner with interested community groups to Save NYC Libraries. Please contact us if your organization would like to be a part of the Save NYC Libraries Postcard Campaign.

SEND ALL POSTCARDS TO

Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer

47-01 Queens Boulevard

Suite 205

Sunnyside, NY 11104

Thank you for your support! Together we can raise our voices and make ourselves heard!

Contact us at: savenyclibrariesATgmail.com