Recent news about library funding brought to mind a fiction title from a couple of years ago: When Will There Be Good News? Our acting library director, Michelle Cervantes, heard some dismal details today when she attended the Central Texas Library System meeting in Bastrop. Example: funding for both interlibrary loan service and the state summer reading program for children is slated to be discontinued.
Naturally, as a librarian I have cause to form opinions about such things. However, I'm also a budget-minded taxpayer who thinks that promoting literacy and sharing materials are core expectations--not to mention practical ways to maximize our resources and help make Texas a desirable place to live. As the economy has worsened, the library has seen steadily increasing traffic as citizens seek ways to sharpen their skills, acquire new employment, and save money; funds for the databases they use for these purposes would also be slashed.
I checked out the txla link in Claudia's message and was happy to find that, as you scroll down the page, you can access a convenient tool to find your legislators' names and addresses--along with suggested text to use. From what I'm hearing, constant and vocal support from citizens will be needed for the next several weeks. Also, the upcoming Legislative Day on February 16 is a vital opportunity fto demonstrate your advocacy for libraries: www.txla.org/legislative-day.
Since financial support at all levels is a concern in these economic times, here's link to Round Rock's mayor and city council, with email access: www.roundrocktexas.gov/home/index.asp?page=200. Our brand-new City Manager, Steve Norwood, doesn't have a link on the City page yet; his email is snorwood@round-rock.tx.us.
On a totally different--and cheerier note--I think our upcoming discussion title, The Help, is a winner!
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