As We See It: New realities for library system

" Can the library afford to answer research questions, send out a bookmobile, provide extensive databases to the public, offer Internet services -- and buy new books?"

That's what they are for, right ? At least in this day and age, it's not just all about books anymore.

I applaud the Library Board in their effort to keep all the branches alive.

As with parks, health, and schools the State needs to do a major overhaul on how they conduct business or we need to take a look at securing more local control.

There is money in this community, maybe not in my pocket or yours, but it is still here.

Santa Cruz sends more tax money to Sacramento than the Inland Counties, much of which in the case of schools gets distributed to Counties such as Fresno who consistently vote NO on State revenue measures. Despite our consistent YES votes.

We send them money and they vote NO on measures that would help our tax base.

Gotta be a better way!

And I hope new leaders will emerge from this crisis and have the will to change the Prop 13 loopholes for the CORPORATE tax assessments
( not your Granny's home but ORACLE and CISCO, and APPLE)

In the meantime, lets not destroy a library system that weathered the Great Depression because there is current disfunction in Sacramento.

Do not underestimate the importance to our community of young and old having access to the internet in the 4-7 timeframe.

the law needs to be changed: ALL gove employees (except fire crews) should work through 65.
scrap the "final" salary pensions scheme.

just these two things alone would solve budget problems.

s-c-r-a-p is a "bad" word ??

As Arte Johnson would have said, "Very interesting" as it relates to fee increases, which was not mentioned, if even considered.

Editor, you asked,
"In addition, the board also needs to consider eliminating or reducing services it can no longer afford to provide. For instance, is it truly reasonable in 2009 for a library system to also serve as an after-school gathering place for kids whose parents work? Can the library afford to answer research questions, send out a bookmobile, provide extensive databases to the public, offer Internet services -- and buy new books?"

Editor, you need to tell us, the readers, what services you believe a library should provide. You list of unaffordable and implicitly unreasonable services seems to be the definition of a "library".

The services are correct, money is tight. Money, not the services menu is the problem.

Multimedia YES wrote:

Santa Cruz sends more tax money to Sacramento than the Inland Counties, much of which in the case of schools gets distributed to Counties such as Fresno who consistently vote NO on State revenue measures. Despite our consistent YES votes.
We send them money and they vote NO on measures that would help our tax base.

If true (and it makes sense that it well could be) that's interesting, as it reflects the redistribution of money in the US as a whole, where the representatives of the red states vote against taxes, but the red states are the "takers" of more money per capita while the blue states are "givers" (in general, etc. etc.)

Bookmobile and the smaller branches are probably going to have to go. Also, new items for the collection will probably have to be drastically reduced. It would be nice if the the decisions on acquistions for the collections were made on the basis of popularity (how frequently the item is accessed or checked out). Decisions about acquistions for the collection are made by staff WITHOUT knowing how often an item has been checked out ect. I was told the 'system' could not provide this information. How efficient are these staff members in regard to purchasing materials THAT ARE ACTUALLY CHECKED OUT? No one knows. The library might be paying for a subscription to a periodical that no one reads. Our fiscal problems dictate that we can afford ONLY what we really use.

If the library system can't manage to provide the services WE voted on and are paying for, then I think a repeal of those propositions that provided their fat budget is in order. If they are unwilling to reduce the administrative costs before reducing services, I will be the first to sign up for a repeal. We did not vote to pay double (sales and property tax) so a few can wallow in their six figure salaries. We voted for libraries to be open in our neighborhoods and the services we are accustom to.

I agree with consolidation. As nice as the Felton and Boulder Creek locations are, I have all my requests sent to Scotts Valley because I drive through there anyway, and they have the great hours. I would rather have less locations open for more hours than more locations for less hours! I work full time and if they cut hours the only day or time I will be able to pick up my requests is on Saturday! That is, if any branches are open on Saturday after all the cuts.

I think the whole budget debacle is horrible, but we need to prioritize! I also think that Juan hit the nail on the head in regards to buying material. For there to only be 3 copies of a certain movie and a waiting list of months... well there has to be a better way to get the most popular items to the patrons.

I strongly disagree with consolidating branches. The branch system allows the library to be better integrated within the community, and the local branch remains one of the few safe places that older children can start to explore on their own.
It's not a question of community support -- the branches are used, and the community has consistently voted to fund them (see Measure B, for example). The problem is a mismanaged revenue base in the county and city of SC. Prop 13 is a big issue, but not the whole problem. Sales taxes remain within the local community, but SC has discouraged the development of a stable revenue mix that includes a healthy amount of sales tax. We can't have 5-star social and community services and a protectionist attitude toward revenue-generation...unless we want to charge use fees, and no one wants that. Something's got to give -- I vote we continue to fund the libraries.

Also, I read the new budget proposal to the Joint Powers Board: http://www.santacruzpl.org/news/2009/may/29/2...
I read a bias toward consolidation in this plan, and question whether scenarios 6 and 7 as outlined are designed to drive discussion back that way.

For example: "Some plans proposed scattered branch closings and
reduced hours; one plan proposed a regional restructuring of the system by closing smaller branches
and delivering full library service for everyone in the county through four branches plus the
remotest small branch and Outreach; and one plan proposed keeping all branches open by large cuts
to open hours, staff, and services. "

I'm not insinuating malice on the part of the administrators -- some bias is natural by interested parties. But I wonder what a truly impartial analyst might suggest about how to trim the budget temporarily through this crisis, with minimum pain to the larger community.

Keri W wrote:

Also, I read the new budget proposal to the Joint Powers Board: http://www.santacruzpl.org/news/2009/may/29/2...
I read a bias toward consolidation in this plan, and question whether scenarios 6 and 7 as outlined are designed to drive discussion back that way.
For example: "Some plans proposed scattered branch closings and
reduced hours; one plan proposed a regional restructuring of the system by closing smaller branches
and delivering full library service for everyone in the county through four branches plus the
remotest small branch and Outreach; and one plan proposed keeping all branches open by large cuts
to open hours, staff, and services. "
I'm not insinuating malice on the part of the administrators -- some bias is natural by interested parties. But I wonder what a truly impartial analyst might suggest about how to trim the budget temporarily through this crisis, with minimum pain to the larger community.

You know you're talking about a budget that was projected to be 12.6 million. That's not a lot of money to begin with to run a library system that has 10 branches. An outside analyst would be amazed at how much service the library has provided and hand out commendations. Now with this shortfall we are going to have to make difficult choices as a community if we want to have a strong library system at all. and the saddest part of all this is no one cares about how many dedicated employees are going to lose their jobs. Most of the people who work in libraries are not there for the glory or just to get the latest best seller. These people truly believe in the service they provide as very important to a free society.

I agree, that the fat cat six figure management at the Library should be layed off too. Shouldn't they take some responsibility for the mess instead of laying off employee's to save their skins.