RALLY FOR LIBRARIES!!! on November 4th at the State House - 11am
Please join library colleagues and supporters for MLA’s rally for
libraries! “Don’t Close the Books on Libraries” will take
place on Wednesday, November 4th at 11:00 a.m. on the steps of the
State House in the “well area”. Massachusetts Center for
the Book’s annual MA Book Awards will be held inside the State House
from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m., so plan to attend this exciting event following
our rally so that we can celebrate and support Massachusetts libraries
and authors!
We will have 250 signs printed with our slogan, and so need a minimum
of 250 people to carry them. We need every MA public library to
send at least one staff member, trustee or friend, so that a big
message can be sent regarding the devastating impact of funding cuts to
the Commonwealth’s libraries. Now more than ever we must let our
legislators know that cuts to libraries will negatively impact the many
citizens who rely on their libraries for Internet and technology
resources, books and research materials, and for help in finding jobs.
Your participation is vitally important to the future of MA libraries!
Krista McLeod & Jackie Rafferty, Co-Chairs
MLA Legislative Committee
Don’t Close the Books on Libraries!
Talking Points
• The Board of Library Commissioners’ budget cap for
FY2011 is a 16% reduction in total funding from this year
(FY2010). This comes at a time when people are relying on library
resources more than ever in order to mitigate the negative effects of a
depressed economy.
• MA library use, rising steadily for over a decade,
has skyrocketed with the worsening economic recession. Many citizens
rely on libraries for access to technology, especially now when so many
people have lost jobs and cannot pay for computer and Internet
resources.
• Unemployed citizens rely on library resources for help in obtaining employment.
• Resource sharing of the collections of MA libraries
is at an all time high. Library patrons have virtually unlimited
access to the Commonwealth’s library resources. Through efficient
management of the statewide library delivery system, our regional
library systems ensure that patrons are able to receive millions of
library materials, borrowed from libraries across the Commonwealth, in
a timely manner.
• Our regional library systems provide access to high
quality academic databases that promote the literacy and scholarship
essential to students and an informed citizenry.
• The vast majority of MA libraries belong to
networks that facilitate resource sharing and manage the libraries’
online catalogs. Telecommunications funding support is currently
insufficient to maintain adequate bandwidth levels due to the record
amounts of MA citizens using the Commonwealth’s online library
catalogs.
• Increased network costs not funded at the state
level will be passed along to member libraries at a time when they can
least afford any increases. Member libraries do not have the
budget resources to cope with rising annual membership assessments due
to cuts in their budgets at the local level.
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