LISNews: Librarian News

\"Washington Gov. Gary Locke (D), who wants to cut the state library, has found an ally in Senate Republicans, who want to speed up cuts to state government. Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairman Sen. Dino Rossi has proposed cuts in $127 million in state spending before the end of the current two-year budget cycle, by speeding up Locke\'s proposed spending cuts for 2003-05, according to the Olympian. Thus, the State Library would be closed to the public before July 1.\" (from Library Journal)

The case of the Florida State Library continues with Word That Florida State University will not take on the responsibility as originally envisioned by Gov. Jeb Bush\'s proposed budget.
FSU President T.K. Wetherell said they don\'t have the money or the space, 10.8 linear miles of it to accommodate almost 1 million documents. They say there are five other secret possibilities being considered, but another library official said he thinks the private Nova Southeastern University in Broward County is among the possibilities.

\"One of the important roles of the state library is to provide an interface between citizens and their government,\" Mason said. \"When you remove the state library, you remove the librarians that make access to that information possible; you are removing the ability of citizens to know what their governments are doing.\"

The Tallahasseee Democrat is reporting that The Florida State Library is being eyed for possible elimination by Governor Jeb Bush as part of an agency merger that would cut jobs and save the State millions. \"The new Department of State and Community Partnerships would handle all the big programs of both departments, in particular elections and emergency management, as well as most of the lower-priority activities the two departments now concern themselves with. In addition, some programs will be transferred to other state agencies, and one - the Florida State Library - would be eliminated. Bush sees the merger as a logical extension of a constitutional amendment that put the Department of State under the governor\'s direction instead of under an elected secretary of state. The merged agency, if approved by the Legislature, would be directed by the appointed secretary of state.\" Read It.

The following editorial appeared in the Thursday, December 05, 2002 edition of the Seattle Times...
\"As state officials jiggle trees to find money to plug the anticipated $2-billion budget deficit, they should shake the Washington State Library lightly. The state library already went through the ringer when Gov. Gary Locke proposed its elimination to meet last year\'s budget shortfall. Library supporters, including some lawmakers, rallied to save the library, albeit with a new boss, a smaller budget, leaner staff and a keener mission.\" Read More.