This sucks. Library officials are saying they may have to close up to four Charlotte-area libraries. I know in my community (Mountain Island Lake, in northwest Charlotte), our library is an important oasis for job seekers, parents, children, the elderly … me. I can only imagine every library branch is as important to its respective community. Here’s hoping county officials can find a way to keep our libraries open.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library officials say county budget cuts might force the system to close at least four branches in the coming months, while reducing hours at others.Library officials haven’t yet determined what branches could close, but said any affected branch likely would remain shut down into the next budget year as well. Branches could close on Sundays and be open for fewer hours the rest of the week.
The library system has 24 branches, and officials said any locations that closed would be a community or neighborhood branch. But larger, regional branches wouldn’t be considered.
Mecklenburg director Charles Brown said the branch changes would be a worse-case scenario, and assumes the county requires the system to cut five percent, or $1.56 million, from its budget for the year ending in June. He said officials have frozen some vacant positions, and would cut its materials, information technology and maintenance budgets first. Still, he said any cuts above $300,000 would require staff layoffs.
It isn’t yet known how deep the library cuts will need to be.
Read the rest of this Charlotte Observer article, by April Bethea, here.
This article appears in Mar 2-8, 2010.
Obviously you haven’t been to a library lately, Frank. They’re packed. People need and want libraries.
They must have been giving something free away that day.
If a library is being used a lot then we can keep it open.
Frank, I’m sad to see that you are so ill-informed. People use the library for more than books, although that is a big draw too. The average person uses the library for computers or to take advantage of the programs. And yes, libraries do give away something free everyday. It’s called knowledge.
There will always be a need for libraries. How do you think the internet is populated?
1. Libraries are partners in education – (CPCC, CMS, private schools w/out budgets for libraries)
2.They provide FREE resources for those who are in the digital divide (not everyone has a computer).
3. Libraries provide opportunities for people from ALL BACKGROUNDS to coalesce.
4.Libraries are essential for a free society – do you want your neighbors to not have access to information? if they don’t have it , they make up their own.
5. Libraries preserve our past – hence genealogical support…you can’t get that on the Internet and if you found it there, its because a librarian put it there.
6. Libraries support lifelong learning & education, esp for people who have limited funds. Do they not deserve access to this?
7.Library’s promote EARLY READING for children…do you think the internet can do that?
and lastly,
Libraries are essential to quality of life. We already live with fences separating us now…and it sounds like Frank G. is ready to build another.
ah Frank, an elitist at heart I see.
Kindly writing his comments from an internet connection that was paid for.
Frank, how do you suppose folks who don’t have $30 a month to obtain this vast knowledge you claim sits on the Internet?
Take a visit to your library for a change and see that for some folks – it is they have left.
Well said, Liblover & Autrocrat! Think also on this- our public services, such as libraries, parks & recreation are a reflection of the type of society that we want to provide for the citizens. If we do not offer free access to computers, books, information, etc, then what type of community are we building?
And yes Frank, you are correct in that people must open a book to read, or turn on a computer to use it. But what if they do not have money for books and computers? How can they get access if the library is closed? You are making the worst type of assumption- that just because YOU have access to something then probably EVERYONE must have access as well. That’s sadly not the case. I’m very glad if you are able to order books online and type your comments from your own laptop. But please think about all the people who do not have this luxury- and it is a luxury- and not say that the resource is worthless just because you do not use it.
And for what it’s worth in this current climate of unemployment, I have yet to see a library branch that is not busy.