LISNews: Librarian News

Susan Dillinger noticed This Tallahasse.com Story that says it soon won't be possible to stroll through the stacks of the State Library's circulating collection in Florida.
The new policy will take effect in a few months. Users will be required to go to a single service desk and ask for the items in the circulating collection they want to check out.

The politically charged atmosphere surrounding the State Library ever since Gov. Jeb Bush tried and failed this year to persuade the Legislature to move the circulating collection to private Nova Southeastern University in Broward County has others questioning the motives of this development.

Susan Dillinger spotted "Erasing Florida's Past" by Robert Cassanello.

He says As a Florida historian, he was deeply concerned when he heard the news that Governor Bush recommended the closing of the Florida State Library and the transfer of the state archives, state museum, and Bureau of Historic Preservation to other departments within the government. His proposed actions stemmed from a disagreement with Florida voters in the 2002 election. Although Bush won reelection, voters in Florida voiced their disapproval of his educational policies when they approved a statewide amendment to reduce public school class sizes within the next ten years. On the campaign trail, the governor had actually attacked the amendment as irresponsible and too costly for the fragile state budget, declaring that he had a "devious" plan to subvert it.

Susan Dillinger sent in News That the Florida House and Senate agree: Keep state library in Tallahassee.
The House sent a message to Gov. Jeb Bush by agreeing with the Senate that
the State Library should stay in Tallahassee. One of the handful of
amendments to the House appropriations bill approved today retains the
current staffing for the library and cuts the $2 million that would have
been used this year to move the $10 million collection to Nova Southeastern
University in Fort Lauderdale.

The transfer was one of Bush's budget priorities, but it encountered stiff
opposition from library lovers statewide. Because the action matches what's
in the Senate budget, it takes the issue off the table during upcoming
negotiations.

"We'll be sending a message that we heard the many voices of the people of
the state of Florida," said Rep. Loranne Ausley, D-Tallahassee, who
co-sponsored an amendment keeping the library along with Rep. Bev Kilmer,
R-Quincy. "

An OP-ED piece from The Honoluluadvertiser, By Nick Huddleston, President of Friends of the Library of Hawai'i, says he is disturbed by criticism of State Librarian Virginia Lowell by legislators and others who have implied she is not doing what she can to maintain library hours and respond to the desires of the Legislature and the public.