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Dec. 27th, 2006 10:27 pmToday was errands of an unusual nature. Three Minneapolis Public Library branches are closing as of this week. I am truly hoping they will be re-opened in the coming year, and I will write my state legislators, because right now, more LGA (local government aid) is what it is going to take. I have written all the Minneapolis officials I can.
So I went to Roosevelt Library. I used to go there more often, before the Light Rail construction detours got me out of the habit, and then the fact that the Light Rail can delay me has kept me from getting back in the habit. Also, lately it has only been open 3 days I week. I really like Roosevelt, an old Carnegie building, and it's the next to closest library to my house, after East Lake. Which is also closed; reopening is scheduled for March. (They had money to totally rebuild the library, but no money to keep it staffed.)
I walked around, and remembered days worked there as a substitute, long before the coming of the computers. We looked for books, and ended up checking out several.
Later in the day, we went to Southeast Library. That's the one in Dinkytown. I don't go there often, unless I'm in Dinkytown for some other reason, in which case I will go in and say hi to Eric. I hadn't looked in the science fiction room in some time - I'd forgotten how excellent it is. We checked out even more books there. I think the science fiction room should be renamed in memory of Mike Ford - we need a room for all the books the fund will buy. Except, from what I've read, he used to go to the Central Library. Still, that collection is excellent.
Webber Park, in the far northern part of Minneapolis is also closing. I worked there a few times as a substitute also (I've worked at least once in every branch) but I have no sentimental connection, so I'm not going to drive up there.
If you love any of these libraries, visit them this week, or it may be months, or years, or never. (Roosevelt and Southeast's last day will be Friday; Webber Park's is tomorrow, Thursday.)
If you love libraries, don't live in Minneapolis. In the past five years, Minneapolis has gone from having one of the best library systems in the country to having one of the worst. Starting next week, no library in the city will be open on Monday. All of them will be open the same hours, Tuesday though Saturday. If you want to go to a library on Wednesday evening, you will be out of luck. Tuesday or Thursday morning, the only place that is open is the Central Library, downtown.
Yes, I am angry, now that I think about it.
So I went to Roosevelt Library. I used to go there more often, before the Light Rail construction detours got me out of the habit, and then the fact that the Light Rail can delay me has kept me from getting back in the habit. Also, lately it has only been open 3 days I week. I really like Roosevelt, an old Carnegie building, and it's the next to closest library to my house, after East Lake. Which is also closed; reopening is scheduled for March. (They had money to totally rebuild the library, but no money to keep it staffed.)
I walked around, and remembered days worked there as a substitute, long before the coming of the computers. We looked for books, and ended up checking out several.
Later in the day, we went to Southeast Library. That's the one in Dinkytown. I don't go there often, unless I'm in Dinkytown for some other reason, in which case I will go in and say hi to Eric. I hadn't looked in the science fiction room in some time - I'd forgotten how excellent it is. We checked out even more books there. I think the science fiction room should be renamed in memory of Mike Ford - we need a room for all the books the fund will buy. Except, from what I've read, he used to go to the Central Library. Still, that collection is excellent.
Webber Park, in the far northern part of Minneapolis is also closing. I worked there a few times as a substitute also (I've worked at least once in every branch) but I have no sentimental connection, so I'm not going to drive up there.
If you love any of these libraries, visit them this week, or it may be months, or years, or never. (Roosevelt and Southeast's last day will be Friday; Webber Park's is tomorrow, Thursday.)
If you love libraries, don't live in Minneapolis. In the past five years, Minneapolis has gone from having one of the best library systems in the country to having one of the worst. Starting next week, no library in the city will be open on Monday. All of them will be open the same hours, Tuesday though Saturday. If you want to go to a library on Wednesday evening, you will be out of luck. Tuesday or Thursday morning, the only place that is open is the Central Library, downtown.
Yes, I am angry, now that I think about it.
