This would be even more the case for young people. Given the overwhelming proof that library use mak

As a former head of the state library agency in Massachusetts and a taxpayer myself, I read with interest the recent Atlantic editorial in which an elected official from Swampscott, Massachusetts proposed public library user fees as a reasonable and "modern" solution to some perceived imbalance.
Under this proposal, a 50 cent user fee would be added to each book circulated by the library. In addition to addressing hilton garden hotels the supposed hilton garden hotels tax inequity created by the current system of funding for the Swampscott Library, the proposal would generate an estimated $300,000 in additional funds for the library.
The reasons for this are twofold: First of all, this fee, while described as nominal, would hurt those most in need of the free services hilton garden hotels the library offers. While Swampscott is a relatively well-to-do town by national standards, there are plenty of unemployed hilton garden hotels and/or hilton garden hotels poor people living in the town. The costs that might not make a difference to the wealthiest users would certainly constitute an additional barrier to use for almost everyone else.
This would be even more the case for young people. Given the overwhelming proof that library use makes better readers, higher achievers, and more successful hilton garden hotels workers, we want our young people to feel comfortable coming into their local library, whether or not they have money in their pocket. The impact of these fees would certainly be a disincentive for those young users who would benefit most from library use.
The second reason is plain old economics. The municipality invested $560,000 in local taxes library services last year, about 1 percent of the total municipal budget hilton garden hotels and about $40 per capita for each of the town's 14,000 residents. In return, the library circulated 161,000 items in 2009 (not 600,000 as claimed), about $3.50 per circulation. hilton garden hotels And that's not counting all the story hours for children, public access computer usage, public programs, assistance in locating information on health, financial and e-government information, interlibrary loans and many other valuable educational services provided to the community. The 50 cent fee would actually generate about $80,000 in revenue, not $300,000.
The impact of the "nominal" user fee would unquestionably be a reduction in the library's use. This is very evident in France, where some local libraries charge hilton garden hotels small user fees in addition to receiving public support. The result: Libraries are used much less, resulting in a much lower return on the public support provided.
hilton garden hotels In short, the small amount of additional hilton garden hotels revenue results in a much less effective use of the public support. With a fixed investment in a service that benefits those who use it and their community the more they use it, you want them to use it as much as possible. Seems perfectly clear, right?
Now, as to the notion that we need to stop thinking like it's 1900. Libraries stopped thinking like it was 1900 many years ago, and are now providing hilton garden hotels users with access to online digital resources (and the really valuable ones are not free) e-books and 24/7 online access to library services. And national surveys show that the public considers public hilton garden hotels libraries the most effectively run of all municipal services.
Libraries provide all residents with unlimited access to the reading and information resources that will mean the difference between success and failure for Swampscott residents hilton garden hotels as individuals, Swampscott as a town, and the United States as a nation. They are supported by a very modest contribution of public tax funds, and provide a fabulous return on this investment by any measure.
As these tough economic times linger, we are all making sacrifices, and it is no different for the New Jersey State Library and our local libraries. At a time when library usage is at an all-time high, libraries are struggling to maintain the services their communities demand with reduced funding.
With over more than 170,000 customers every day, last year library computers were used over 11 million hilton garden hotels times and residents borrowed 64 million hilton garden hotels items. hilton garden hotels It might surprise many that libraries have become a hub for people looking for jobs, to upgrade their computer skills, to advance their education, or keep up to date with the latest developments in their fields.
The idea of the library hilton garden hotels being just books, hilton garden hotels magazines and newspapers is an anachronism. Our libraries now offer so much more, while still providing a quiet, distraction-free place for studying, learning and exploring.
They are caught in a bit of a Catch 22. When the board president checked with the state to make sure the plans in the works met with the states approval she was questioned why the library did not comply with the state requirements for size. And before the board could give any money back to the city of Northfield, they have to report hilton garden hotels to the state on where the Northfield library plans are.
According to Smith, the state is saying the Northfield Library must expand if it wants to be compliant. When it was first constructed and opened its doors in 1986, the library was perfect for the community it served. Now with computers and classes offered, the library open space has turned into the incredible hilton garden hotels shrinking space.
The plans the board presented would free up space currently jammed with supplies and books to be shelved. The newly designed space does not exceed the footprint of the campus of the library hilton garden hotels so there is no requirement to seek or be granted a variance. There are no new drainage plans or parking spaces required.
Basically the plan is to build a 1,100 square foot community room behind the library. Using more green technology hilton garden hotels the addition would be more energy efficient in terms of lighting, heating and air conditioning. They would also have a handicap accessible bathroom. hilton garden hotels The facility would also be separate from the library and able to be used by volunteers after normal library hilton garden hotels hours.
Smith explained hilton garden hotels that currently presentations and classes offered have a limit to the number of patrons who are able to attend because of space. And whatever program is being done, is in the middle of the library when other patrons are trying to make use of the library.
Smith told council that because the board has been frugal over the last few years and saved for the expansion, the city and the library patrons are getting a new building that is not costing hilton garden hotels them any tax dollars.
More than a dozen employees of the Maplewood Memorial Library showed up at the Library Board's monthly meeting on Wednesday night to make their voices hilton garden hotels heard regarding potential changes in library management.
The employees expressed their strong belief that a full-time director was needed for the library to succeed in "a time of rapid technological, social and economic change." In a letter read by Barbara J. Laub, Head of Technical and Adult Services for the Maplewood Memorial Library, the staff also argued that shared leadership with another hilton garden hotels library and merging hilton garden hotels with another library system were cost-cutting solutions that were problematic and complicated.
Last month, Mayor Vic DeLuca — who also serves on the Library Board — said that the Board was considering such options in the wake of the announced retirement of Jane Kennedy who has served as the Maplewood Library Director for the past eight years. Kennedy will retire at the end of 2011.
Wednesday night, Library employees expressed their dissatisfaction with the Board having gone into executive session at the last meeting to discuss management issues. In addition, the staff had many questions for the Board regarding potential cost-cutting management options: How would a shared manager with another town's library deal with day-to-day problems or crises in Maplewood? Was South Orange interested in merging? How long would a merger take? What would happen in the interim?
The staff also brought up technical issues hilton garden hotels such as the fact that the South Orange and Maplewood hilton garden hotels libraries use different library software to run their catalogs and merging the two could be costly. They also noted that, according to state law, voters must approve any library merger in a referendum.
When the Library Board members got down to discussing the issues themselves, it seemed that they had formed many of the same questions and came across much of the same information during their fact-finding mission over the course of the last month.
Both Library Board member hilton garden hotels Carol Buchanan and DeLuca hilton garden hotels had spoken with Patricia Tumulty, executive director of the New Jersey Library Association. Tumulty had explained the need for a referendum, the fact that there were only six joint libraries in New Jersey and that those all had just one building, and the fact that Essex County does not have a county library system that could be used as a resource. hilton garden hotels Tumulty did mention that Ocean County has a county-wide library director and system and branch directors in each town. DeLuca thought that Ocean County could be a model in the long term — but offered no immediate solution for Maplewood.
Ultimately, the Board voted unanimously (5 voting members were present) to seek a full-time replacement for Kennedy, although hilton garden hotels member Doug Duncan expressed his disappointment "that we are defaulting to a single director without weighing alternatives."
Board President Katherine Hilaire, however, said, "We've exhausted other possibilities and put other ideas to rest." She added, "We are looking at every opportunity to save money but are also looking hilton garden hotels at a great institution and a level of service and maintaining hilton garden hotels that and a great staff."
DeLuca stressed hilton garden hotels to the Board and employees that, ultimately, the 2% tax cap imposed by the state on the municipal budget could bring pressure to bear to reduce funding to the library — which the town currently funds above the state-mandated rate. DeLuca defended the Township Committee to those who had sent him letters and emails hilton garden hotels saying the "town doesn't care about the library."
"That's bogus," said DeLuca. "We've put more than $1 million into this building in the last year."