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New Jersey Libraries need your help
http://www.njla.org/statements/testimony2-16-2010.pdf ^

Posted on 03/29/2010 9:15:37 AM PDT by freelancer

The link will take you to a statement by Patricia Tumulty, the Executive Director of the New Jersey Library Association. Her remarks summarize how the budget cuts will affect libraries. While I support Christie's efforts to get the state budget under control, I think libraries are about to take a harder hit than other services (keep in mind, unlike teachers, firemenn, policemen and a host of other workers on local and state levels, public librarians are not protected by unions). The proposed budget cut is about $1.00 for each New Jersey resident. I'm not saying no cuts to libraries, but just not quite as much as proposed.

Another related legislative issue is A2555, introduced by Assemblyman John DiMaiois http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2010/Bills/A3000/2555_I1.HTM This amounts to about 3% of local property taxes. In short, if your mayor and council members are the aliterate sort, they could easily balance the town's budget by closing the library because they do not "deem" any amount necessary.


TOPICS: Books/Literature; Local News; Reference
KEYWORDS: ala; newjersey; publiclibraries
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To: freelancer
<a href="http://www.webaddress.edu">Name of link</a>
21 posted on 03/29/2010 5:21:17 PM PDT by SunkenCiv ("Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others." -- Otto von Bismarck)
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To: Vigilanteman

We also get a lot of volunteers, some are invaluable and can’t be thanked enough, many take up so much staff time to train and supervise that I wonder why we bother. We have been getting a lot of volunteers lately - more than usual. Some are school kids who are trying to pad their qualifications for college applications (or else their school requires a certain number of community service), some are unemployed people who want to stay busy and keep their work ethic humming. Others baffle me as to what has motivated them to offer their “services” in the first place.


22 posted on 03/30/2010 8:11:34 AM PDT by freelancer (If we do not win the war against terrorism, everything else is irrelevant.)
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To: freelancer

I hear you. In a previous life, I worked for a non-profit organization and worked with a variety of volunteers ranging from those worth their weight in gold to those not worth a warm bucket of spit. Some organizations actually have volunteers sign contracts so they can shed those in the later category. Most are left to assigning them jobs where they can do the least amount of damage.


23 posted on 03/30/2010 8:18:49 AM PDT by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: GreaterSwiss
Apparently most libraries pay teachers $125/hr in return for each supporting budget increases. Paying someone $10/hr or asking for a volunteer is too much!

Not most libraries. Usually those extra programs are paid for through separate donations. The building and all related maintenance, books and other lending materials, and salaries are supported by the actual budget. As budget cuts go into effect, those donations will be shuttled to maintain the circulating collection.

At my library, the staff has already taken cuts in pay (we all agreed to it) and we stopped hiring outsiders to do those craft and story times (something I always thought was an extravagance anyway).

24 posted on 03/30/2010 8:31:24 AM PDT by freelancer (If we do not win the war against terrorism, everything else is irrelevant.)
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To: devere
According to the director of my county library consortium The average local budgetary contribution to libraries is over $67 per resident.

In other words the proposed cut in state aid is about 1.5% of the library budgets.

I’m a heavy user and supporter of my local library, but at this point I think that they are “crying wolf”.

I will admit there is a lot of "crying wolf" as you say and I do support Christie with a lot of these cuts (even to libraries). Just to clarify, the $1.00 is the state budget thing; the $67.00 is local. The state library cooperative programs include JerseyCat, a database that makes it possible to search the catalogs of multiple libraries in the state. Very useful if your county library system does not have that out-of-print book that you want. Trouble is, the state cooperative also pays to ship that book to your library so you can borrow it. When I suggested that people pay a small fee to help with interlibrary loan shipping I was almost run out of the building. The budget will and should be cut. But I just don't want it to be wiped out. When the cuts go into effect, I'll bring up that shipping cost idea again and maybe I won't have to duck and cover when I do.

25 posted on 03/30/2010 8:54:14 AM PDT by freelancer (If we do not win the war against terrorism, everything else is irrelevant.)
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To: Persevero
Very true, I tried to get some Nancy Drew books for a kid the other month, and they have been pulled from our libraries due to “racism.”

Say what?

I'm speechless! Fire the librarian who pulled those books from the shelves. Where did she get her MLS?

At my library we have reprints of the original Nancy Drews, the ones that were published in the late 20s early 30s. Yes, they are racist, but they are also a product of their times. Just like Gone with the Wind. Does your library still have that? Good grief. That's one library that should close.

26 posted on 03/30/2010 9:03:25 AM PDT by freelancer (If we do not win the war against terrorism, everything else is irrelevant.)
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To: freelancer

This librarian was surprised and sympathetic. She didn’t pull them from the shelves herself. The higher ups ordered it.


27 posted on 03/30/2010 11:20:42 AM PDT by Persevero (Ask yourself: "What does the Left want me to do?" Then go do the opposite.)
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To: mom4melody; freelancer
I was searching for another NJ story and came across this thread just now.

The schools have librarys, and if you want internet access, buy a cheap netbook go to McDonalds. The homeschoolers can purchase books for their students just like I pay tuition to keep my kids out of the public school.

We homeschoolers do buy books for our children. The vast majority of homeschoolers, here in NJ, meet at churches and run their own lending libraries. Some of us do use the library, like anyone else, for research and/or as a meeting place, but it doesn't cost the taxpayers any additional money for us to meet there. We're like other people who meet at the library, borrow books, and do research.

The way I see it, here in NJ, we pay a fortune in property taxes for the public schools. We receive nothing in return, so I don't feel bad about using the library. We use it regularly. I'm sure we've more than covered our cost through taxes, books donated, books purchased through the Friends, and all the late fees we had to pay. ;-) That said, any overspending at the library should be cut. But, of all the gov't services, the libraries where we live have been invaluable. I think the libraries should handle everything - let's move the DMV and everything into them. ;-)

28 posted on 04/01/2010 10:06:58 AM PDT by Tired of Taxes (Dad, I will always think of you.)
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To: Longbow1969; SamiGirl; freelancer; All
Late to this thread...

Why do we even need public libraries anymore?

Overspending at the libraries needs to be cut. I do support Christie. But, around here, where we live in NJ, the libraries are great. I'd rather see the public schools close, all schools go private, and the libraries take over all services. ;-) Government (state, local or federal) should not be in charge of telling our children what to think. However, freedom of information is an important role for government.

Maybe libraries in other places aren't as nice as ours. In addition to books, computers, internet, and wifi, our local libraries offer classes, book clubs, teen clubs, senior clubs, etc., all run by the librarians themselves, and the librarians themselves are very knowledgeable. Also, groups of people can reserve meeting rooms.

Plus, where we live, with a library card, you can access the library database from home to do research, take online courses, practice tests, and so on.

Unlike other gov't services, the libraries (around here, anyway) are more dependent on supply and demand. If they offer a service/program that no one uses, it's cut. Library services are always first to be cut. Plus, the patrons do pay for services: People pay to make copies or print pages. If you're late in returning books or videos, you pay late fees. Organizations raise money for the libraries through used book sales. So, there are private funds invested into the libraries, and the cost for taxpayers is small in comparison with other services.

Again, there's some overspending, in some cases, which needs to be cut. But, overall, the libraries can be invaluable, when they're run the right way.

29 posted on 04/01/2010 10:58:16 AM PDT by Tired of Taxes (Dad, I will always think of you.)
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To: Tired of Taxes

I understand, you have good public libraries and there is probably some particular aspect of the system you use quite a lot and naturally you don’t want to see it get the axe.

Here is my problem with all that. If these libraries are really this terrific, and people pay for some/many of the services anyway - why does the government need to run it? I mean, if it is popular enough, the private market will fill the void and create its own version of libraries. Some bookstores already do similar things.

The thing is, everyone has their particular service or favorite program they don’t want to see cut. We all look at things with our own perspective. Someone who depends or enjoys some other thing government does would make a similar argument as to why their program shouldn’t see any reduced funding.

I get what your saying, and it does sound like your libraries are pretty darn nice. Still, in my opinion, if your local library is that awesome, I just don’t see why your community can’t pitch in their own money to pay for it. Why should other tax payers be forced to pay for a service that really isn’t a necessity anymore. Is it nice? Sure, but in this day and age the library really and truly isn’t something you can’t do without.

NJ is pretty much broke. Everyone’s programs are going to have to be cut, and programs that are not essential will need to be cut more than others.

While we may disagree, I do appreciate the detailed response.


30 posted on 04/01/2010 4:19:47 PM PDT by Longbow1969
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To: Longbow1969

For the record, I would support complete and total privatization of most (if not all) gov’t services. So much more could be handled by the private sector.

But, the reality is, we’re all paying taxes, and the gov’t services I don’t use are never going away.

In NJ, the amount homeowners pay in property taxes is astronomical. And most of that money goes to the public schools, which we don’t use. Many other people don’t use them, either, because either they homeschool, like we do, send their children to private schools, don’t have children, or their children are grown.

Yet, public school isn’t going away, and the spending has increased year after year. I applaud the cuts Christie has made, but I’ve read that they amount to only a small percentage of the public school spending.

The libraries, on the other hand, don’t cost the taxpayers nearly as much money, and they always have been subject to budget cuts. There’s some overspending here and there, which should be cut. But, I’m reading he wants to cut 74%. I don’t know how factual that percentage is. If true, it would be a huge chunk out of the budget.

You posted a message asking if library services were even needed, anymore. I wanted to give you an idea of how our local libraries are used today. The libraries in my county are always crowded. The library isn’t just about old books, anymore. In addition to what I mentioned previously, they also have been offering help in finding employment, starting your own business, computer training, etc. Some organizations come to the libraries and offer their assistance free to people - such as the one that gives advice on entrepreneurship.

Again, all that said, I wouldn’t mind at all paying a fee for a library card. The people using it should pay something extra for it. And, believe me, with all I’ve paid in late fees, buying used books, and donating books, I’ve been paying extra.


31 posted on 04/01/2010 11:02:42 PM PDT by Tired of Taxes (Dad, I will always think of you.)
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To: Tired of Taxes

The gov’t services have to go away or everything that is still good about our coutnry will be utterly destroyed in one more generation.


32 posted on 04/01/2010 11:10:43 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Asato Ma Sad Gamaya Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya)
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To: little jeremiah; freelancer

Freelancer,

I apologize. I didn’t realize how much Christie wanted to cut from library funding. I’m reading now that it amounts to 74% of state funding (true?) and that interlibrary loan, internet access, and reference databases may no longer be available...?

I’m not sure how much of what I’m reading is exaggeration, or what’s truth and what’s myth, but that steep of a cut in one area sounds huge.

LJ,

Public school spending in NJ is very high, yet Christie has only cut funding for public schools by a small percentage, according to what I’ve read. OTOH, library services don’t cost the taxpayers nearly as much. And our local libraries have been very homeschool-friendly. Librarians may be the only people working in the public sector who are on our side where I live.


33 posted on 04/01/2010 11:59:05 PM PDT by Tired of Taxes (Dad, I will always think of you.)
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To: Tired of Taxes

The big losses are the databases and JerseyCat (a combination of the online catalogs in NJ). These are shared services and they increase what any library can offer.

I’m sure there are ways that the statewide library services could be managed better and I’m all for cuts in spending but just not quite so much.

The thing that worries me the most is the bill A2555 which could result in local libraries closing if a town council at any given time is comprised of nonreaders. The current law requires towns that have voted to have a library must fund it according to a given formula that amounts to about $67.00 per resident. I’m not sure how long that law has been on the books. The assemblyman who wants to do away with that formula is from warren county where the libraries are under a county system. I don’t know how funding is regulated for county libraries.

Schools are protected by unions for the most part. While a lot of districts are losing state aid, the unions aren’t giving an inch.


34 posted on 04/02/2010 5:20:08 AM PDT by freelancer (If we do not win the war against terrorism, everything else is irrelevant.)
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To: Tired of Taxes

I understand your point, and my issue isn’t with homeschoolers, believe me.

Our kids go to private school and we still support the local schools (which stink) and the libraries with our taxes. The libraries are just going to have to learn to live within their means and until they stop favoring liberal trash and revised history, they can just shut their doors before they get a dime more from me, at least willingly.


35 posted on 04/02/2010 5:57:37 AM PDT by mom4melody
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To: Tired of Taxes

The county I live in is “depressed” and has been ever since logging went down by 80% or more years ago. Unemployment when we moved here was supposedly 14%, in 2001. So many foreclosures in the last 3 years means less property tax too. So they cut all libraries - killed ‘em - in the county more than a year ago. Finally after much wrangling they opened them again, part time, and I think have some volunteer helpers, fundraisers, etc.

I have given a lot of thought to the library question. I think private libraries is a good idea. Or private/public combo. People could purchase a membership - lifetime, yearly, or something in between. And/or pay per book rental - something very small per book. And if it was private, people would be encouraged to donate books, time, etc. And if libraries were private, they could nix objectionable books like homosexual propaganda especially for kids, etc.

Local govs always threaten (and do) to cut cops, fire depts and libraries to get the public to ante up. Instead of cutting useless or harmlful leftist programs or their own bloated salaries.


36 posted on 04/02/2010 8:07:23 AM PDT by little jeremiah (Asato Ma Sad Gamaya Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya)
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To: Persevero

What library are you referring to? I regularly go to three local libraries, and Nancy Drew is in all of them, a whole shelf of them in each.


37 posted on 04/02/2010 8:23:02 AM PDT by CharlesV
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To: max americana

You have never even been in a library, have you?


38 posted on 04/02/2010 8:23:37 AM PDT by CharlesV
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To: Brugmansian

On the contrary, the new books are on a wide variety of topics, and there are far more pro-conservative than pro-liberal books. There’s no bias in the library system, and I challenge you to prove your point with some actual data. I go to the library regularly, and I’ve seen Ann Coulter’s books and Bill O’Reilly’s books prominantly displayed.


39 posted on 04/02/2010 8:23:52 AM PDT by CharlesV
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To: CharlesV

Are you in my town? They do have conservative books. They are forced to carry the best sellers. But the “New Books” section is swamped with garbage. Progressive, Identity Politics trash that makes money for its author only because libraries buy it. Our buyer is pushing gay stuff and it has many upset. They just don’t want to see it.


40 posted on 04/02/2010 8:43:50 AM PDT by Brugmansian
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