Someone forwarded a message from Friends of the Library to another list that I'm on.
Are the library cuts really "devastating"? We haven't closed a single library, the libraries will still perform their core misson of providing reading and research materials. Sure, it might not be as convienient as it was before. If the Strib report that libraries are under utilized in the mornings, it makes sense to eliminate those hours. Either that or elect someone who will provide the money, however, we don't seem to be moving in that direction. They say they need 12 bucks. 12 bucks from all of us. Problem is where are a whole lot of people asking for 12 bucks and after awhile it gets to be real money. They're looking for donations. I won't list here everyone who is looking for donations, but I find it curious that they'll use the first $60,000 for after school homework helpers or tutors. Isn't education what we have a school system for? How do we know what we spend for education when it starts showing up in the library budget? Anyone wonder why it's hard to understand government budgeting? Coincidently, $60,000 seems to be the same amount that the Park Board was going to save by taking toilets out of one of the most overused park systems in the country. If the choice is toilets or extra help doing homework, I'm voting for the toilets. Terrell Brown Loring Park terrell at terrellbrown dot org > -----Original Message----- > The Minneapolis Public Libraries need your help now! > > As a direct consequence of the State's decision to slash Local > Government Aid (LGA), our Libraries need to cut their 2004 operating > budget by $4.4 million - or about 20%. Last night, the Library > Trustees adopted a draft budget that will: > > Keep all libraries open, but at extremely reduced hours. Seven > libraries will be open just 3 days a week. System wide, operating > hours are reduced nearly 35%. > Eliminate 77 - 80 staff positions. This will mean laying off 1 of > every 4 employees. > Significantly reducing budgets for new book purchases, educational > programs, computer upgrades and building maintenance. > > What would it take to save our libraries from these devastating state > cuts? About $12 - the cost of an average book. That's how much each > resident would need to contribute to keep our libraries open and > strong. You can make a gift through The Friends of the Minneapolis > Public Library online at > > www.friendsofmpl.org/friends_Help.html <http://www.friendsofmpl.org> > > > You can also contribute by mail to The Friends of MPL, 250 Marquette > Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55401. > > People are stepping forward to help. On Tuesday, we received a call > from a 10 year-old girl who wants to contribute $180 (mostly in > pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters) that she has raised to help our > libraries. Why? Because she is an avid reader who depends on her > libraries for books and caring librarians. Other gifts - ranging > from $12 to $1,000 - are coming in. > > The first $60,000 raised will be used to restore Homework Helper, an > after school program that provides trained tutors for K - 12 > students. Through Homework Helper, the Library provides more than > 10,000 tutoring sessions every year. > > One student who has depended on Homework Helper is Kejf Jama. With > limited English or formal education, Kejf struggled at Edison High > School after emigrating from Somalia. On the verge of giving up, she > went to the library. "Will you help me?" she asked a librarian. The > librarian did, introducing her to a Homework Helper tutor. "I would > not be in school if it wasn't for the library," Kejf says. Today, > Kejf is working on an accounting degree at the Minneapolis Community > and Technical College. > > Without additional funds, the Homework Helper program will be > eliminated in January. > > The next $25,000 raised will be used to save the Summer Reading > Program, a library tradition that keeps more than 11,000 children > ages 10 and under reading all summer long. This program is a > critical partner for families in preparing young children for > academic success, while setting children on the path of becoming > lifelong readers. > > Without additional funds, the Summer Reading Program will be just a > skeleton of its former self. > > If we reach these goals, additional funds will be used to support > other critical services, such as the Franklin Learning Center, the > Hosmer Technology Center, and the Phillips Computer Center. These > services help adults develop basic skills they need to succeed in > school, work and civic life. > > Please help us save these programs by making a gift through The > Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library at > > www.friendsofmpl.org/friends_Help.html > <http://www.friendsofmpl.org>. > > With your support we can continue to make reading a part of every > life - despite these devastating cuts from the State. > > One final word: Although we are asking private citizens to step > forward to help our libraries in this crisis, we believe that this > public institution should be primarily funded by public sources. To > restore public funding to our libraries, we encourage you to become a > library advocate. Please contact your elected officials and tell > them they need to do more to provide for our libraries. To learn > more, visit the advocacy page at our website: > > www.friendsofmpl.org/friends_LGA.html > <http://www.friendsofmpl.org/friends_LGA.html>. > > PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO YOUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES WHO CARE > ABOUT LITERACY, FREE SPEECH, AND EQUAL ACCESS TO INFORMATION. > > Colin Hamilton > Executive Director > The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library > (612) 630-6172 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > www.friendsofmpl.org <http://www.friendsofmpl.org> > > > > > > --------------------------------- > Do you Yahoo!? > SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! http://sbc.yahoo.com TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. 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