Libraries changes for the worse
Nov. 13th, 2011 09:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
magentaHidden on a back page in the Strib was some VERY annoying news. The Hennepin County Library Board passed a major change to their circulation policy. As of January 1st, they will restrict check-outs to 30 items, down from 100. Reserves will be limited to 15, down from 50; CDs will be due in 7 days instead of 21. I can't find any more information on the website, so I don't know how they will handle the transition. In fact, I can't find the notes of the Library Board meeting where this was decided, either; the most recent meeting notes are back in September. I am upset that this article was obviously from a HCL press release but there is NO information on the website. Didn't they think anyone would notice and want to know more about this?
I am extremely angry. The article says this is because of a major budget cut, and otherwise they would have to cut hours. I think this is BS, since as I recall, the collections budget and the personnel budget are funded differently. I am going to write letters to both the Library Board and the Hennepin County Board today, and I would encourage anyone else who dislikes this new policy to do the same. Don't complain to library staff, they can't do a damned thing, and they are busy enough as it is.
I don't think this would have happened if we still had an elected Library Board. It is now appointed by the Hennepin County Board, which is mostly suburban Republicans. If you live outside the Twin Cities, and your local library policies are even worse, you have my sympathy, but I'm upset about how much our library has gone downhill in the last 7 years.
I am extremely angry. The article says this is because of a major budget cut, and otherwise they would have to cut hours. I think this is BS, since as I recall, the collections budget and the personnel budget are funded differently. I am going to write letters to both the Library Board and the Hennepin County Board today, and I would encourage anyone else who dislikes this new policy to do the same. Don't complain to library staff, they can't do a damned thing, and they are busy enough as it is.
I don't think this would have happened if we still had an elected Library Board. It is now appointed by the Hennepin County Board, which is mostly suburban Republicans. If you live outside the Twin Cities, and your local library policies are even worse, you have my sympathy, but I'm upset about how much our library has gone downhill in the last 7 years.
