This is what we call a "bad idea"

[mizarchivist]

Ohio Governor Proposes Halving State Support; Many Libraries Could Close :

Library aid would be cut by $227 million over two years 

In the meantime,  lifecollage  was just relating how the librarians at the main branch of the BPL (Copley) spent their day off last week on Bunker Hill Day: quoth she: "30 people (eta: SENIOR MANAGEMENT) shelved 70 carts in 8 hours" because apparently having shelvers is not so critical. This was before the cuts started being implemented and they went from 1/2 to 3/4 gone.

Did I mention how much I'm keen on my job? Yeah. It's really good. Even if I have to deal with moldy books right now.

So- Ohio people- spare 5 min. and ping the ones trying to hamstring you? ... 'k. Thanks.

Comments

[fidgetmonster.livejournal.com]

yeah, that's super dumb, especially since the libraries have been busier than ever since the recession started. Ours always have every computer full of people searching for jobs.

[cos]

States are cutting all sorts of really great, useful, even essential stuff, all over the place, because they're completely out of money. Fighting each cut, one by one, can do no good, no matter how bad each cut is. There's only one solution, and that's more money. It can come from the feds (we could use stimulus bill #2 soon), and it can come from taxes. From a state perspective, that means the income tax - it's the best thing states can do while they wait to see if the federal government will help some more. Unfortunately, it's also the thing most state legislators seem most scared of doing.

If you're going to call a state government elected official about cuts to libraries or anything else, please make sure to also add the most useful comment you can make: After you ask them "don't cut this", add some variant of "please for God's sake raise the damn income tax!!!"

That's the only way we can avoid this kind of cut.

I agree and further

[drwex]

I think it's a standard right-wing maneuver to declare increasing taxes off limits so that all sorts of social causes (libraries, kindergarten, fire, etc) have to battle each other for what remains. Everyone loses when those kinds of fights start.

[roozle.livejournal.com]

mm. One of my favorite tag lines of all time is "Libraries will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no libraries." Maybe someone in Ohio can make a poster out of it.

[mizarchivist]

good idea