HAWAII: Library Audit Sought

[Pat Wallace <DENWALL@AOL.COM>]

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From: Stephanie Strickland <steph@netra.lib.state.hi.us>
To: Hawaii Working Group
Subject: Hawaii Honolulu Advertiser Story
Date: Sun, 12 Jan 1997

The following article appears in the January 12, 1997 issue of the
Honolulu Advertiser, pages A19, 25.  Author:  Kim Murakawa

Title:  Library Audit Sought

   A librarians group yesterday asked a state Senate committee to order an
audit of the state's library operations, in particular a controversial
contract with a Mainland vendor.

  Members of the Librarians Association of Hawaii went to the Capitol to
voice their claims that the state's book collection is deteriorating.

  "We believe the cause is mismanagement of funds, materials and
personnel," the group said in a statement presented to a state Senate
committee reviewing the Hawaii State Public Library System's contract
with Baker & Taylor to purchase and select all of its new books.

  The statement was signed by association president Faith Arakawa and
read to senators by librarian Sylvia Mitchell.

  Libraries sharply criticized the controversial $11.2 million contract
with the North Carolina book-buying firm after libraries began receiving
hundreds of duplicate or useless volumes last year.

  For example, some librarians complained that Baker & Taylor charges a
flat fee of $20.94 per book, whether it's an expensive book or a $5.00
paperback.  Also, an earlier shipment list included 31 copies of "A
Practical Guide to Lambing and Lamb Care."  Few sheep are raised in
Hawaii.

  Yesterday, they urged legislators to amend the contract to allow
librarians to retain selection of new material for their shelves, saying
Baker & Taylor's method of selection was flawed and ignores their
recommendations.

  State Librarian Bart Kane defended the contract as a cost cutting
necessity and told the Senate Committee on Government Operations and
Housing that he had worked out earlier book duplication problems.

  Committee Chairman Marshall Ige said he hopes to forward the
committee's recommendations by the end of the week to other Senate
committees reviewing other aspects of the situation.

THE END