library
I read the Town Council candidates' responses to the
League of Women Voters' questionnaire in the Chapel Hill News this morning. (A valuable service, but shouldn't the CHN actually publish reporting on the front page?) I noticed that the candidates were unanimous in their support for putting increased density (if it happens) in transit corridors, but not a single one of them named an appropriate area or an example of how this should be done.
It's easy to be reactionary and rail against tall buildings and vague notions of density or against East 54 in particular. Where are the courageous candidates that can hammer out policies, make the hard decisions, and stand up to the inevitable complaints about change? Evolution of this community's landscape is not optional. We must put on our thinking caps and establish some direction for doing this in the best way for our collective future.
Worry about the effect of the economic downturn coupled with changes in information technology is generating a lot of consterned discussion among those concerned with the history and future of libraries. Worries start with concern about reducing public access to books and book culture, as well as to the eroding relationship of public and research libraries to the educational system.
But libraries - the municipal buildings themselves and the staff therein - also see challenging changes in their community functions when times get hard.
I think we are in about the 4th iteration of the Chapel Hill Public Library debate, but whatever the number, it's an important debate about an important issue. Four things stick out to me:
First, the Town Council has delayed moving forward with the addition. As much as I want to see it built, the current economic situation being what it is gave them little choice. When the situation is more favorable I'm sure that they will move forward.
Wonder if anyone who has had an opinion about the CH library expansion saw the Signe Wilkinson cartoon (from the Phila. Daily News) in today's (11/21) ink-and-paper N&O. [I can't provide a link because the N&O isn't allowed to reproduce it on their website and, apparently, the Phila. Daily News hasn't yet uploaded it.] Here is link: http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/Signe_on_the_economy.html?index=8#photo
It shows buildings labeled "A.I.G." "Banks," "Car Companies," and "Cities" failing over like dominoes, and all about to pile up on a library - a dialogue balloon over it saying "Do you have a book about the impact of the economic crisis?"
Here's some good news: the library is reinstating their original hours. They cut them a few weeks ago, with the reductions at the Carrboro branch (a.k.a. McDougle School) being especially drastic. Here's the County's press release:
Hours of operation for all Orange County Public Libraries will be reinstated beginning July 28, 2008. County and Library management have re-visited the departmental budget and identified certain purchases to be delayed until next fiscal year and a reduction in monies budgeted for inventory replacement. These adjustments will generate funds sufficient to cover the temporary personnel costs for hours of operation at the Main Library and its branches. Please note these changes.
[...]
For additional information visit the Orange County Library website http://www.co.orange.nc.us/library/orange/ or call (919) 245-2525.
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