The Voice Reporter
Anyone can be a Library Champion
By Ove Overmyer
President, CSEA City of Rochester Library Workers Local 828 Unit
7420
New York State-- For over a
century, libraries have responded to what our patrons have been asking
from us with even greater intensity with less financial resources since the
current recession started: help with computer skills, providing tools for life-long
learning, assisting folks who apply for unemployment insurance, helping
citizens find a job, and just about everything else under the sun.
Here is a brief recap of New York
State library funding: From 1998 to 2006, libraries and library systems
received no state funding increases, while other educational institutions
received generous attention. When economic conditions worsened, libraries were
then the first to receive cuts. Library Aid has been cut six times in the last
three years, from $102 million in 2008 to $79 million in 2011 which translates
to a 23 percent reduction. In contrast, state funding for School Aid dropped by
only 2% during the same period.
One would think that library
leaders could easily engage our local elected delegation with a sound argument
for properly funding our libraries and library systems—especially when we share
common issues of importance. Sadly, we all have experience with elected
officials who do not put the library in their top-ten list of critical issues. Conversely,
most legislators believe that economic and workforce development is a major priority
for a healthy economy but have no clue that functioning libraries are a necessary
part of that formula.
Let’s be clear here— libraries have
been leading the way providing the support necessary for any economic recovery to
happen. For many new legislators and business leaders, when this revelation is finally
realized, it was like a light bulb when off over their head. Unfortunately and
to this day, too many lawmakers still don’t get it and see libraries as just
dusty depositories for books—and it is every citizen’s job to make them refocus
this 19th century perspective.
Anyone can be a Library Champion
Anyone who gives a damn about
libraries should be actively engaged in addressing our elected officials and
explain to them what the role libraries have played in improving their quality
of life—whether it was simply reading a best–seller, studying for a civil
service exam at the library or attending a workshop on improving interview
skills.
Library advocates are struck time
and time again by how few people actually know what goes on in a school,
academic or public library these days and how we operate. Every time we
speak to groups about what we do with respect to our economy or preparing a new
generation for success, people begin to see libraries in a new light and are
astonished at the depth and breadth of resources that are available to every citizen.
We should find as many
opportunities as possible to demonstrate to new listeners how involved libraries
are in addressing the community’s most pressing issues. We need
more civic leaders from other sectors talking about the importance of public
libraries too— and that’s why I am asking you to become a library champion
today.
Our efforts to lobby the state
legislature and governor have ramped up over the past few years. And just like
other public entities, we are battling for our piece of the pie. Albeit, a very
small piece of pie. To put some perspective on how much New York State budgets
for Library Aid, let’s just say that it equals less than one-tenth of one
percent. No kidding.
Library advocates have also been
thinking about the difference between library users and library
supporters. In library circles, we spend a lot of time, as we should,
talking about library users, how to identify them, serve them better,
communicate more effectively. But as we know from plenty of surveys and
data, library use does not necessarily correlate with library funding dollars.
Rather, library supporters believe
that the library can be transformative for those who walk through our doors.
Increasing support for the library depends on us being active leaders focused
on accurately reflecting the reality of library services and products. And therefore,
convince others that libraries are truly the best return on investment of
public dollars any taxpayer can spend. This-- my library friends, will remain
one of our biggest challenges and top priorities for the 21st century.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.