The Sentinel Newspaper published an article on Saturday, July 25, 2009 on how state budget proposals threaten library services.
It talks about how more and more people are using libraries in these tough economic times, but state budget proposals aren't making library funding a priority.
Read the full story at: The Sentinel Online : News Local : Budget proposals threaten libraries
Monday, July 27, 2009
Libraries, Schools Follow Budget Talks|abc27 News
Last week abc27 visited Fredricksen Library in Camp Hill to interview us on how the proposed state budgets might affect library services.
Our situation is very serious. Under the worst scenario proposed to date, the Cumberland County Library System would lose more than $750,000 in direct state payments, plus about $250,000 in state subsidized services like the summer reading program, POWER library databases for students, interlibrary delivery and online reference service.
Two library patrons, James Alton and John Barns, were also interviewed about how the budget cuts might affect their library use.
To find out what you can do to prevent these cuts from happening, visit: Advocate for Your Library: What You Can Do
You can see the full abc27 story at:
Libraries, Schools Follow Budget Talks|abc27 News
Our situation is very serious. Under the worst scenario proposed to date, the Cumberland County Library System would lose more than $750,000 in direct state payments, plus about $250,000 in state subsidized services like the summer reading program, POWER library databases for students, interlibrary delivery and online reference service.
Two library patrons, James Alton and John Barns, were also interviewed about how the budget cuts might affect their library use.
To find out what you can do to prevent these cuts from happening, visit: Advocate for Your Library: What You Can Do
You can see the full abc27 story at:
Libraries, Schools Follow Budget Talks|abc27 News
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Murder Victim Leaves Estate to Library System
You may have read in the Patriot-News this week, or seen on abc27 News that the library system was named the sole beneficiary of Beatrice Kelley's estate. She was a voracious reader and longtime library visitor to the East Pennsboro Branch Library and the Fredricksen Library in Camp Hill. Her generous gift will likely bring the library system close to $300,000 later this year.
I'm sure that many of you will recall her tragic story. She was found murdered in her
The Cumberland County Library System board planned to announce her wonderful legacy later this year once the estate was settled and decisions had been made on what to do with the funds.
However, her other nephew, Jerry Kelley, beat us to it -- and rightfully so!
Mr. Kelley contacted abc27 News about the gift because he was so upset about how the news media had unfairly caricatured his aunt as some kind of solitary eccentric. He wanted everyone to know the human being behind the story, and to tell everyone what a kind, generous, smart and often opinionated woman his Aunt Bea was.
Well, the TV news piece did a good job doing just that.
As for myself, I can't tell you how amazed, touched and stunned I was that she had chosen to name the library system as her sole beneficiary. What a lasting legacy!
When I was interviewed for the story, they asked me what I would like to say to Beatrice. It's certainly difficult to put into words all the emotions that I feel about her story. So, I think it is best to just simply say thank you Beatrice. Thank you so much!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
New York Times Columnist Learns Something
Over the holiday weekend, New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof wrote that he was "aghast to learn that American children drop in I.Q. each summer vacation — because they aren’t in school or exercising their brains."
I'm shocked that someone like Kristof wouldn't have the commonsense to know this. But, I guess studies are now documenting what librarians have known all along. If kids aren't reading over the summer, their skills really slide. So much so that kids can lose 2 or 3 months of what they had learned in the previous school year.
That's why our library system's summer reading program is so important. If all our kids were able to learn how to read well and enjoy it, I'll bet there would be a lot fewer problems in society.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Governor Proposes New Cuts
At the end of last week, Governor Rendell announced revisions to his proposed budget for 2009-2010. It included bad news for libraries.
Originally, Governor Rendell proposed a 5% cut. Now, he proposes a 16% cut that includes cuts to other important library programs like the state's POWER library databases for students, interlibrary delivery, and more. Rendell still calls for chopping state library services 50%.
Proposals from the General Assembly aren't any better. The Senate calls for 50% cuts. If state funding is cut that much, Cumberland County will immediately lose about $750,000, plus many services provided by the state.
This comes at a time when public libraries are busier than ever across the state. While I understand that the state has difficult budget decisions to make, it's hard to understand why libraries are being cut when libraries are supporting the very people that need the most help: families on a tight budget, people looking for new jobs or education to improve their lives.
You can see many of our own customer's comments about how important the library is at: http://cumberlandcountylibraries.org/index.aspx?NID=855
Please consider contacting your legislators and the Governor about this. Let them know that library services are important to you.
Originally, Governor Rendell proposed a 5% cut. Now, he proposes a 16% cut that includes cuts to other important library programs like the state's POWER library databases for students, interlibrary delivery, and more. Rendell still calls for chopping state library services 50%.
Proposals from the General Assembly aren't any better. The Senate calls for 50% cuts. If state funding is cut that much, Cumberland County will immediately lose about $750,000, plus many services provided by the state.
This comes at a time when public libraries are busier than ever across the state. While I understand that the state has difficult budget decisions to make, it's hard to understand why libraries are being cut when libraries are supporting the very people that need the most help: families on a tight budget, people looking for new jobs or education to improve their lives.
You can see many of our own customer's comments about how important the library is at: http://cumberlandcountylibraries.org/index.aspx?NID=855
Please consider contacting your legislators and the Governor about this. Let them know that library services are important to you.
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