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November 9, 2007
Fighting Consolidation!
There is an important meeting on Monday night at the Bryant Library. This 63rd Annual Meeting at 7:30 will feature a presentation by our director, Cathy Mealing regarding the consolidation plan that has been proposed by the county. Please come and hear about the effect consolidation would have on our local libraries. This letter to the editor was wonderfully supportive and indicative of the kind of outpouring of support we've gotten from the Roslyn community.
This letter was sent by the Assemblyman to Newsday, the Long Island Tribune and the Long Island Herald on Monday, November 5.
To the Editor:
So the America I loved still exists, if not in the White House or the
Supreme Court or the Senate or the House of Representatives or the
media. The America I love still exists at the front desks of our
public libraries.
- Kurt Vonnegut
The front desks of our public libraries are not only the gateway to broader horizons -- offering us access to virtually all the literature and information we see - they are a touchstone of their community, reflecting the values and priorities of their constituents. The library is the hub of local activities, a place for personal growth and social experiences, a place to take pride in, a place to feel connected, a place to feel at home.
But our county leaders have proposed to consolidate the county's 54 public libraries into a single library system governed by a single appointed board threatens to make one library indistinguishable from the next.
The world of information-gathering continues to change at an unprecedented pace. Libraries have stayed relevant by adapting and evolving, while maintaining their commitment to the things that make each integral to its own community.
Libraries are a fundamental part of their community's identity. Local libraries work closely and cooperate with public schools. Local library trustees, the majority of whom in Nassau are elected, are members and leaders of their communities. Local libraries are sometimes the only public building open seven days a week in a community, providing a place for residents of all ages and backgrounds to read, study, reflect, meet with friends and participate in meaningful activities.
The county has so far failed to show how consolidation will he claims, save money but not cut facilities, employees, hours of operation or home rule. This seems all but impossible. Of course we would all like to see our property taxes reduced, but library budgets account for such a small fraction of local property tax burdens- from 1% to about 4% -- that any savings realized from consolidation would be drop in the bucket.
Nassau County's communities are not interchangeable. Each has its own distinct character, and their libraries should be free to reflect that. The diverse population of Nassau County will not be well served by a consolidation McLibrary system.
Harvey Weisenberg Posted by Michele at November 9, 2007 1:37 PM TrackBack URL for this entry:
Member of Assembly
516-431-0500
weisenh@assembly.state.ny.us Trackback Pings
http://www.nassaulibrary.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/435Comments
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