Money Issues

From The Daily Northwestern, an article about college students and library fines. As usual, students complain about them, despite getting repeated warnings. Best bit: "'A few years ago, a student asked me if he could pay his library fine off (it was just under $20) with $5 worth of lottery tickets,' said Suzette Radford, head of circulation services for University Library. 'We declined his offer.'" (via)

The Scucog Memorial Public Library (Port Perry, Ont.) is caught in a funding Catch-22. Port Perry, population 20,173, is too large (by 174) to qualify for a Trillium Foundation grant for small municipalities [pdf], which uses 2001 census figures to determine eligibility. At the same time, the Ministry of Culture, which bases the size of its provincial operating grants on 1998 municipal data, won't increase the size of its grant to Port Perry despite the town's population having increased significantly since the 1998 count. [Article]

mdoneil writes "Dr. Matta (who was once my advisor at FSU) has a great article that discusses salary and the myth of the many open positions that are rumored to exist.

A good read and well done article. It is available here."

Two stories from libraries bidding for new construction: one from Tryon Daily News (Polk County NC),and another story from The Guthrie Center Times (Panora, IA), both finding construction bids way over budget. It made me wonder how other libraries are dealing with this issue.

Paying for Seattle's new and extravagant library has cost the library system jobs and services and even the basics (like buying books). Building a new library is a capital expense, but what's one to do when there's not a low enough bid or enough money raised to follow through with improvements or new construction? Please report in on how your library dealt with high bidders and lost revenues by attaching a comment to this story.

Bob Cox writes "One From Courier Journal: Two foundations that help support the Louisville Free Public Library have settled a court case over which actually "owns" a $6 million endowment fund used to buy new books and equipment for the library.

Under an out-of-court settlement signed recently by Jefferson Circuit Judge Denise Clayton, the Community Foundation of Louisville will list the fund on its books, where it will be audited."

In these times when penny-pinching is once again a necessity for libraries, the Toledo (OH) Library has found a new source of income...winning contests.

Harris-Elmore Library employees hang onto every contest application they can get, and this time it resulted in a $1,000 prize for Best D-Day Exhibit sponsored by cable's History Channel.

The exhibit, put together by librarian Jane Hutchinson included uniforms, dog tags, mess kits, flags, Bibles, diaries, rifles, and other D-Day memorabilia borrowed from 28 area World War II veterans.

They did have to split their win with the local American Legion Post, however, but they still got a whopping $500 for their efforts. More from The Toledo Blade .

Anonymous Patron writes "It's the police vs. the library in San Diego California. NBCSandiego.com Says The San Diego Police Department and County Supervisor Ron Roberts oppose one of Mayor Dick Murphy's top 10 goals: the downtown main library redevelopment project. SDPD, which is endorsing Roberts in a Nov. 2 runoff election against Murphy, said no general funds should be set aside for construction of the library until $87 million in unmet police needs are covered. A bit more from the San Diego Union Tribune.

"The police officers are not against the new downtown library, We just think it should be postponed."

Of the nation's 30 largest cities, San Diego has the second-lowest ratio of police to population, a notch over 1 1/2 officers per thousand residents"

rose1138 writes "The E-Rate program began a moratorium on any new grants to school or public libraries in response to tighter rules intiated by the FCC. How long will the moratorium last? Could be months.
See The NYTimes"

Don't forget, The Hearings Start In 1 Hour!

Mary Ellen writes "When the library in Mentor, OH ran into budget trouble, Judge John Trebets began allowing guilty defendents to give back to their communities in a new way. His new sentencing, allowing for donations to the library instead of doing community service, has helped the library as well as people such as single mothers and those with physical problems that may have trouble completing community service requirements.
Here's The Story"

The Hall County Library (Gainesville, GA) has long been without an adequate number of books (according to this article, the minimum state standard would be two books per capita), but has just received a stipend for 2005. That brings the total supplemental book funding to $1.1 million over the last four years, library system executive director Susan Stewart said. Part of the problem has been tremendous population growth along with the usual slashing of budgets.

Book money will be divided among five branches(the system feels that they need at least one more branch), focusing mainly on purchasing bestsellers (waiting lists are currently up to fifty names long) and children's books. More from the Gainesville Times .

As seen on the American Booksellers Association Newsflash: We Buy Books

Used, out-of-print, scarce, and rare books sought, collections large and small. Ex-library books welcome.

Call or e-mail Sue West at Powell's Books, (800) 878-7323, ext. 622, [email protected].

Because of a $20 million shortfall, El Paso County Commissioners are planning to close the Fabens Library, the county's only library and the only library within 25 miles of downtown El Paso.

Protesters, from age 3 and up, gathered yesterday in the middle school cafeteria, carrying signs and rallying around speakers which included ALA President Carol Brey-Casiano. Photo and story from Borderland News .

The library is a nonmandated county function, and the county would save $250,000 if it closed, officials said.

"I'm not going to guarantee to vote to raise taxes as long as there are things on the table that we can cut," said County Commissioner Dan Haggerty said.

The Jerusalem Post reports on the challenges facing the caretakers of Ben-Gurion's house in Tel Aviv, in particular, the library and the books are in need of restoration and repair.

To help save the house, the Knesset Finance Committee voted to allocate NIS 630,000 for repairs before further damage can occur this winter, but no one has notified the caretaker (Hanni Hermonin, who has been working for 29 years at the site, most of that time as a volunteer) that the new funds are available. Most of what they receive will be used for 24-hour security.

In his will, Ben-Gurion requested that the house be used as a museum and a place for research. His request was fulfilled, and a law was established in order to protect the site.

Here is a profile of the house/museum.

Lauri Ann West Library's branch has a cloudy future. The parent organization put in black and white what it felt was needed to clarify the branch's future.


"We want to keep it open," said Fox Chapel (PA) Mayor Harry McLaughlin Jr., a Community Center & Library Association board member. "Things have to be done by them."

The library board sent the city council a letter requesting the borough help locate an alternate, low-cost site, identify additional grant funding and increase the local municipal money according to an unnamed source.

Unless borough council supports these needs fully, the library likely will pull books and services out of the riverfront town after Dec. 31, the letter said. Read more.

search-engines-web sends " news of a generous donors who have given a shot in the arm to fundraising efforts at the Georgetown (MD) Public Library. The library announced of a pair of gifts that added $1.3 million to the library fund including $30,000 from Perdue Farms, Inc. and a pledge of $1 million from Eolyne K. Tunnell and Robert W. Tunnell, Jr. and family.

These donations represent a major step forward in making the new library building a reality," said Paul G. Enterline, chairman of the board of the library trustees. "In appreciation of this gift the new Georgetown Public Library will be named The Tunnell Library Building, and dedicated to the memory of James M. Tunnell, James M. Tunnell, Jr., and Robert W. Tunnell.

AshtabulaGuy writes "The Daily Telegraph of London reports that Reed-Elsevier head Sir Crispin Davis recently defended his company against accusations of profiteering. Mention is made of pushes to switch from a subscriber paying model to an author paying model for publication of knowledge.

The article provides a unique look at the other side of the issues facing libraries in dealing with Reed-Elsevier and other publishers."

Pennsylvania libraries are going to receive an increase in state funding, but proponents say it's not enough to make up for lost time. "The increased funding doesn't fully offset the dramatic reduction in state-aid to libraries
during last year's protracted budget impasse," says Glenn Miller, an official with the PA Library Association. Read More.

There's an op-ed piece in the Daily Item (PA) about how significant increases in funding can't completely make up for decades of fiscal neglect sufered by libraries in Pennsylvania. "Libraries are a critical component in the quality-of-life equation. Vibrant libraries make for vibrant communities, and, in turn, help to attract and retain upwardly mobile families and the businesses that rely on them. If [Pennsylvania's]local libraries are allowed to close or crumble, that will be one more strike against a state already beleaguered by a brain-drain problem. Read More.

Sometimes you just can't resist... The British Science Museum is considering an alternate fuel source in order to help pay it's hefty energy bills. The alternate fuel? Poo. The kind left behind by three million annual visitors. The idea is to "siphon off excrement from the toilets, store it and then either burn it as fuel in a mini-power station or turn it into electricity using a microbial fuel cell." The museum's director says, "With free admission it would be a great way for visitors to give something back to the museum and help keep the overheads down." The next time your legislators threaten funding cuts, threaten them with this. Read it to believe it.

There's nothing like going to work and having the boss tell you not to come back, which is what happened to 21 librarians and staff members of the Providence, RI Public Library. Amid a funding crisis, the library was forced to eliminate the positions and will be forced to close for a week in order to allow the remaining employees to "adapt to the sweeping changes." The library's hours will also be reduced. Read More. [requires registration]