Re: cuts in library services

[Josephine Dervan <rderva@INFIONLINE.NET>]

Many moons ago I lived through another budget crisis (NYC in the mid
1970s). It was so drastic that for the first time in history NYC teachers were
laid off. They didn't pay unemployment taxes so the Federal gov't had to
set up a special unemployment fund for those teachers.



The public libraries in the city were the first to feel the cuts. Hiring
freezes and drastically cut schedules in local branches were the order of the
day. We were told that the reason we were cut so drastically is that our
"illustrious" legislators lumped libraries with recreation and equated us with
parks, playgrounds, and zoos.



We were also told of how during the Great Depression the libraries had
their highest circulation in history because the unemployed flocked to the
libraries. For many, they were truly what Andrew Carnegie envisioned
as "the poor man's university". Too bad our leaders can't get
the idea.



It is our job, as Pam has suggested , to get the word out to those in power
and let them know about the valuable work we d and how we impact the lives and
minds of our patrons.



Jo

Josephine
Dervan, Library Media Specialist
Strathmore Elementary School

Aberdeen, NJ

home:rderva@infionline.net

school:jdervan@marsd.k12.nj.us

EarthLink: It's your Internet.






Josephine Dervan, Library Media Specialist

Strathmore Elementary School

Aberdeen, NJ

home:rderva@infionline.net

school:jdervan@marsd.k12.nj.us

EarthLink: It's your Internet.

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