(Dis)investment in Our Future

[Jon Sigall]

I live in Forest Hills in New York City and am a regular patron of the local library branch, which is part of the Queens Public Library system. Because our finances at home are tight, I generally get most of my books at the library, including most of the new releases. Unfortunately, because of steep budget cuts proposed for 2012, the library is no longer buying new books. It is also proposing to shutter most branches for all but a couple of days during the week and on weekends. While this has a direct impact on me, it has a devestating impact on the community in general. Libraries are key. They are key to people who love to read, key to people who like me cannot afford to buy many books, key to engendering a love of reading in people, key to providing social services. . . in short key to our livelihood and future as a society. It is unfathomable that such a vital resource faces such a bleak future - 27% of its funding or $23 million cut just like that, 424 employees or 52% of its workforce (devestating to them immediately) laid off, service to countless number of people, including many needy people, cut off. I don't understand how NYC government could in good conscience allow this to happen. Our priorities are just plain wrong.

[ManOfLaBook.com]

So, what do you want, for the politicians to take a pay cut?

 

(sarcastic)

[Emily Hiesl]

Yikes. I'm in Astoria and I haven't heard this news. Guess I need to get out more, or google more. That's horrible, I know they've been closing all libraries for the weekend (except Central, thank god), and that's bad enough if you work during the week as most of us do - but closing during the week too? Looks like it won't be long before the worst happens and the only reading we do is on our e-readers. ::kills self::

[Edward L Cote]

Just because we can no longer sustain an empire doesn't mean America has to collapse entirely. We can scale back and refocus on our own problems, much like Britain did.

Unfortunately, our politics is horribly shortsighted. We need to start viewing education, infrastructure and the social safety net as investments in our future and not as something arbitrary, obnoxious, or expendable. Schools are cheaper and better than prisons. Maintenance is cheaper and better than replacement. Clinics are cheaper than emergency rooms. But we don't see it that way. We can't see past corporate profits for this quarter.

[ManOfLaBook.com]

The US already spends a ton of money on education (more than any other country), infrasructure and social safety nets.

 

The mystery is where all that money is going because it sure isn't being used for what it was flagged for.

 

Actually, it's not that big of a mystery, however throwing more money at the problems won't fix them. Come to NJ where we spend billions every year on failing school districts only to see them fail again.  Actually, throwing money at the issues is actually a motivation for the "moochers" never to fix anything.

[Book Calendar]

Things will get better hopefully.  But, people have to speak up or else we will lose a lot more libraries.  They are an easy target.

[Joyce Barnes]

As a recently retired librarian from Scotland, I TOTALLY agree with you. Here across the pond we are also suffering devastating cuts to services. I am so pleased that my former employers decided that my  post was indispensible and have advertised for a professional librarian to replace me. Many others are going with redeployed workers from other disciplines...would you ask a Baker to run a Butchers just because she worked in retail?Would you ask a school administrator to teach physics?Would you get a willing kindly old lady in to help with an appendectomy? So why ask any of these people to be a Librarian? Horses for courses I say

[Joyce Barnes]

They do, via "libraries2go" using "overdrive" but I have an Amazon Kindle and it is not supported. Also, I don't live in Edinburgh so not having access to their system I have no idea whether or not your book is available, sorry.