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Learnin' = TOO EXPENSIVE

post #1 of 23
9/15/09 at 9:59am
Thread Starter 
I think BobClark mentioned this in the regional thread, but goddamn.

http://libwww.freelibrary.org/closing/

Quote:
All Free Library of Philadelphia Branch, Regional and Central Libraries Closed Effective Close of Business October 2, 2009

All Free Library of Philadelphia Customers,

We deeply regret to inform you that without the necessary budgetary legislation by the State Legislature in Harrisburg, the City of Philadelphia will not have the funds to operate our neighborhood branch libraries, regional libraries, or the Parkway Central Library after October 2, 2009.

Specifically, the following will take effect after the close of business, October 2, 2009:

* All branch and regional library programs, including programs for children and teens, after school programs, computer classes, and programs for adults, will be cancelled
* All Parkway Central Library programs, including children programs, programs to support small businesses and job seekers, computer classes and after school programs, will be cancelled. We are exploring the possibility of relocating the Philadelphia Author Series programs to other non-library facilities.
* All library visits to schools, day care centers, senior centers and other community centers will cease.
* All community meetings at our branch and regional libraries, and the Parkway Central Library, will be cancelled.
* All GED, ABE and ESL programs held at Free Library branches will be discontinued, students should contact their teacher to see if other arrangements are being made.

In addition, all library materials will be due on October 1, 2009. This will result in a diminishing borrowing period for books and other library materials, beginning September 11, 2009. No library materials will be able to be borrowed after September 30, 2009.
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post #2 of 23
9/15/09 at 10:17am
Boo! That sucks on so many levels. Did this happen in the 1930s?
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post #3 of 23
9/15/09 at 10:34am
A fucking travesty. How shameful.
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post #4 of 23
9/15/09 at 10:34am
A fucking disgrace.
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post #5 of 23
9/15/09 at 10:38am
Thread Starter 
I'm too upset to even make a joke about the spotty grammar on display in the announcement.
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post #6 of 23
9/15/09 at 10:39am
Completely unacceptable.
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post #7 of 23
9/15/09 at 10:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil View Post
I'm too upset to even make a joke about the spotty grammar on display in the announcement.
Or the fact that the Library was built by a man name Dr. Pepper.

Obama is in town today to raise funds for Arlen Spector's election campaign. Is it too much to ask him to take a moment to address this? Maybe stir the pot and encourage some philantropists to help out?
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post #8 of 23
9/15/09 at 10:56am
Some of the comments I've read about this have said this is the city government playing chicken with the libraries to get something the city wants from them. It's apparently a time-honored Philadelphia tradition.
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post #9 of 23
9/15/09 at 11:00am
I doubt it.
The city already closed a bunch of libraries and pools this year. This is the recession.
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post #10 of 23
9/18/09 at 10:48am
Yeah, the local library here had to severely cut back their hours and staff due to budget cuts by the state. It sucks, but they've got to make the budget somehow. I just wish those cuts didn't have to come from educational areas, you can see what it's doing to our country.
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post #11 of 23
9/18/09 at 10:59am
So what's next, book burnings?
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post #12 of 23
9/18/09 at 11:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bitches Leave View Post
So what's next, book burnings?
Been there, done that.
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post #13 of 23
9/18/09 at 11:40am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bitches Leave View Post
So what's next, book burnings?
When the infrastructure that delivers heat to homes falls apart, probably. The good news is there's so much shit fiction nowadays, "book burning" isn't as inherently tragic as it used to be.
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post #14 of 23
9/18/09 at 11:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil View Post
When the infrastructure that delivers heat to homes falls apart, probably. The good news is there's so much shit fiction nowadays, "book burning" isn't as inherently tragic as it used to be.
So glad that Dan Brown's new book came out. I was starting to worry about having enough kindling for Ma and my little brothers to survive through the winter.
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post #15 of 23
9/18/09 at 12:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil View Post
The good news is there's so much shit fiction nowadays, "book burning" isn't as inherently tragic as it used to be.
Jacqueline Susann. Harold Robbins. The giants!

Ya know, I literally tear up every time at the end of FAHRENHEIT 451 watching the book people reciting themselves (the snowy lake, Herrmann's poignant melody lilting in the background). But I have to agree with Phil. You could conduct a Sherman's March through the lit section now and do some real good for humanity.
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post #16 of 23
9/18/09 at 12:12pm
Hey they don't need all those books anyway...just read the Bible!
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post #17 of 23
9/18/09 at 12:22pm
Libraries aren't closing. Everything's cool.
But let's burn those Dan Brown books anyway just because.
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post #18 of 23
9/18/09 at 12:36pm
Bob, really? That's great - how did it get resolved?
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post #19 of 23
9/18/09 at 12:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LisaNY View Post
Bob, really? That's great - how did it get resolved?
The libraries were threatening to close as the PA state legislature was dragging its feet and not passing the budget that contained library funding. The budget passed, the libraries stay open.

Clearly, this was, in part, a bit of political grandstanding on the part of the free library system, but its about damn time that someone in libraryland made such a bold move. I'm so sick of our collective impulse to hide underfunding from patrons until things get bad.
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post #20 of 23
9/18/09 at 12:45pm
I keep seeing these right wing anti-taxes bumpers stickers and want to commit vehicular homicide. People can be so deeply stupid, selfish and short-sighted, and the right wing noise machine just keeps telling them that's OK. These idiots don't even have a glimmer the importance of taxes--they wouldn't even have a freeway to drive on without them. Douchebags.
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post #21 of 23
9/18/09 at 12:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MissZooey View Post
Clearly, this was, in part, a bit of political grandstanding on the part of the free library system, but its about damn time that someone in libraryland made such a bold move. I'm so sick of our collective impulse to hide underfunding from patrons until things get bad.
Hey, any port in a storm. If they had to do some grandstanding to get their money, so be it. Good for the library system.
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post #22 of 23
9/18/09 at 12:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MissZooey View Post
I'm so sick of our collective impulse to hide underfunding from patrons until things get bad.
You should come work in southwestern Ohio then. Our library had a huge article up on their homepage talking about the state's plan to slash funding, along with homepage links, email links and phone numbers of all the state senators planning the cuts. All the librarians would mention it every time someone checked something out. My friend who is a manager over at the library said it had some effect, as the cuts weren't as bad as they could have been.
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post #23 of 23
9/18/09 at 12:49pm
Thread Starter 
Fuck yeah for readin!

Now let's try to get the potholes in Philly fixed. I vote we fill them with Twilight books out the liberry.
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