Idaho Commission for Libraries
Address: 325 W State St., Boise, ID 83702Phone: (208) 334-2150 | In-State Toll Free: (800) 458-3271
Printed from the Idaho Commission for Libraries website: http://libraries.idaho.gov
Budgeting & its role in our future
As most of you are, I am in the midst of preparing my FY 05-06 budget. Earlier this year I wrote a column that appeared in the Moscow Pulman Daily News which addressed the difference between a library and a reading room. The point I was making is that a library provides a full sprectrum of services, not just access to books. I was hoping to inspire the county residents to a higher goal for their libraries. But alas -
As I meet with community groups throughout the county I frequently heard that they want books on the shelves, lots of books - but no apparent concern about the currency and accuracy of the information in the books or the breadth of available information.
Now I combine the above thought with the role of a public library in a democratic society - that being to make available a wide selection of information that the citizens can access in hopes of making them informed participants in society.
It is access to the very information most needed by citizens of a democratic society that many libraries are finding increasingly difficult to provide. Latah County patrons want libraries in all of the communities, more hours, new materials, sufficient staffing, trained staff, ILL, a user-friendly webpage, etc. And rightly so. These are the elements that make up a vital public library.
Now enters reality - this Library District does NOT have sufficient revenue to provide all of the above. I know, we are not unlike many other public libraries and that is my point. While I am really enjoying the preparations necessary for the 2020 Vision conference and I applaud Ann Joslin and the ISL staff for pulling this all together I have a nagging fear. That fear is that we are looking at the future of public libraries in Idaho knowing that most of us will probably not be able to afford to go very far down that path.
I know that the point I make will come into play once we embark on the regional meetings and ultimately pull together a final Futures document but I do hope that we keep in mind as we look to the future the “budgetary reality” must be part of the mix.
I feel compelled to post this on the blog because I have encountered a huge dose of reality as I am out amongst the very people that I serve as their director. I believe in public libraries and what they stand for but many of my libraries are struggling just to find a volunteer to come in and clean the toilets. They are on the bottom rung of Maslow’s hierarchy as regards the life of their library. How can we get them to a place where they are afforded the opportunity to look more toward their “self actualization?”
Janice McPherson (and in this post aka Debbie Downer!)
- Posted by: sandiw1941
Library Internet Policy Information
In the fall of 1980, members
In the fall of 1980, members of the Idaho library community were facing a crisis in funding for library services. The 1% initiative to limit property taxes loomed on the horizon, President-elect Reagan promised reforms (cuts) in federal spending, and Governor Evans had initiated holdbacks in the state budget.
Richard Mabbutt (from Boise State University and the Boise Futures Foundation) met with us to initiate discussions about the future of Idaho libraries. He began the session by asking us to list all the problems facing Idaho libraries. He uncapped his marking pen, paused, and said, “Oh, by the way, money is not a problem…it is a resource.”
Some were greatly offended and spent the remainder of our time arguing that money was indeed a problem–most of our problems could be solved with sufficient funding. Some were greatly relieved to be freed from the constraints of banging of heads against the economic models and paradigms of limited resources. Some rejected the whole thing as a waste of time when so many problems were waiting to be solved.
Whichever path you choose, I encourage examination of the assumptions around which we formulate our “problems.”
I agree that money is a
I agree that money is a resource just as staff are but there are resource limitations that must be dealt with - if you define that as a problem so be it but regardless of how it is defined it must be addressed. I guess I must be a head banger!
Thank you for sharing your
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I think there are probably a lot more people that have fears of planning a future that some libraries may not be able to achieve. When the present is a struggle, it’s hard to plan a mighty future. My belief, and I suspect you agree since you are participating, is that we still need to plan for that future.
If we don’t create the vision, we have nothing to move toward. Without the lighthouse to guide us, we are merely treading water. It is my experience that movement, even small movement, toward a goal can fill one with confidence, inspiration, and motivation to keep swimming. On the other hand, I find treading water to be simply exhausting.
With the 2020 Vision, we will have a goal for our future. Any movement toward it, no matter how large or how small, is still progress.
Today I’m feeling,
Overly Optimistic
Reality has a way of
Reality has a way of ambushing us… At the community meeting in Latah County that I attended, I heard people say that they didn’t want any more computers. They wanted hours open, to protect “their” staff, but otherwise cheap labor and lots and lots of books.
So I wonder if we are chasing after technology that our users don’t want or expect from us. Are we in the position of trying to create an audience for a service that WE think they need/want?
I’ve been pretty immersed in the Property Tax Interim Committee doings, and maybe I’m Debby Downer today too!
Jan
Janice’s concerns with
Janice’s concerns with budgeting issues are definitely a part of the present reality; however, I agree with Gina’s comments about the need to create a vision, so we have a common goal to work toward. I am hoping that along with the vision there will be ideas shared about how to make the vision attainable.
One of many questions I have is “how long can Idaho libraries continue to provide “free” services that as Janice pointed out the citizens have come to expect? (insert “gasp” wherever necessary) For instance, we have many travelers passing through our community who seem surprised that we don’t charge a fee for computer use.
I’m looking forward to the conference, and have just started the homework on Bruce Sterling’s book.
Paulina