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Minneapolis Public Library
The Minneapolis Public Library has a "Patron Satisfaction Survey" up at their website: http://www.mpls.lib.mn.us/. The actually survey starts here: http://www.mplib.org/survey_lang.asp
The way the questions are asked leaves a lot of gaps. There is no way to say which days of the week you’d like to see the library open, and no way to complain about all the libraries being closed on Monday, no place to complain about the lack of BOOKS, especially specialty books. The poll asks about things like CDs and DVDs, and what activities you’d like to se at the library. The only two choices about books are whether bestsellers or research materials are more important to you.
Be that as it may, the bad news is the library merger. It is going forward rapidly, but I don’t think the people of Minneapolis know what the real outcome will be. When the merger goes through, Hennepin County will own all the buildings and grounds, including the newly built Central Library. Hennepin county will own all the books and other materials. The bond issue, the debt, for the new library, and all the remodeling, will still have to be paid by the residents of Minneapolis, even though we will no longer own any of the buildings. The residents of Minneapolis will get 4 seats on a 11 seat board for the first term, the first two years. Since the Hennepin County Library Board is appointed by the Hennepin County Board, the City might not have anyone to represent them after that. There is no guarantee that levels of service will improve or even remain the same in the long run. I think this is the wrong way to go about such a merger; it’s more like a hostile takeover. If you think it is a bad idea, contact the Mayor and your City Councilperson; their email addresses are on the City of Minneapolis website: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/
x-posted to MnStf and twin_cities
The way the questions are asked leaves a lot of gaps. There is no way to say which days of the week you’d like to see the library open, and no way to complain about all the libraries being closed on Monday, no place to complain about the lack of BOOKS, especially specialty books. The poll asks about things like CDs and DVDs, and what activities you’d like to se at the library. The only two choices about books are whether bestsellers or research materials are more important to you.
Be that as it may, the bad news is the library merger. It is going forward rapidly, but I don’t think the people of Minneapolis know what the real outcome will be. When the merger goes through, Hennepin County will own all the buildings and grounds, including the newly built Central Library. Hennepin county will own all the books and other materials. The bond issue, the debt, for the new library, and all the remodeling, will still have to be paid by the residents of Minneapolis, even though we will no longer own any of the buildings. The residents of Minneapolis will get 4 seats on a 11 seat board for the first term, the first two years. Since the Hennepin County Library Board is appointed by the Hennepin County Board, the City might not have anyone to represent them after that. There is no guarantee that levels of service will improve or even remain the same in the long run. I think this is the wrong way to go about such a merger; it’s more like a hostile takeover. If you think it is a bad idea, contact the Mayor and your City Councilperson; their email addresses are on the City of Minneapolis website: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/
x-posted to MnStf and twin_cities