Danny, I couldn't agree with you more! Our public library is rated tops in
all the "polls/research" and also our academic library rated "excellence/no.
1" by ACRL/ALA group. We are having problems with state and local education
budgets and are losing all elementary and middle school
librarians/media specialist/computer gurus in my county. Though we have
campaigns/maybe even
a local bond issue, I fear they are lost. It's so shortsighted- it's where
it all begins- the young child/beginning reader- connection with books and
libraries - and most of all librarians. No other library serves all school
children and makes the connection to the public library, too.
Somehow we have failed in our messages including LIS - so sad.
Shirley Fitzgibbons
Quoting "Wallace, Danny" <[log in to unmask]>:
> If libraries are at the "bottom of the food chain," why do do NCES
> data indicate that gate count in academic libraries increased 25% and
> the number of students served by group presentations increased 22%
> between 1998 and 2008? Why do IMLS data indicate that visits to
> public libraries in the U.S. increased 17% between and total
> circulation increased 12% between 1998 and 2007? And why does so
> much anecdotal and popular press information indicate that public
> libraries in the current economic environment are being completely
> overwhelmed, not by people seeking shelter and physical comfort, but
> by people turning to the public library as a source of critical
> information on topics such as how to gain shelter and physical
> comfort, how to update personal technology skills, and how to
> identify and find jobs?
>
> Danny
>
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