I have dedicated nearly 22 years to a library that has been named the #1 library in the country and is now an ALA 5 Star library. On April 3rd the doors will close on 12 (50%) of the branches in our system and 148 of our finest will no longer have jobs. This is a sad truth all over the US. In many cities as the tax revenues decrease and the cost of government operations increase, libraries suffer, security suffers, and education suffers.
In our digital age, libraries offer the sole means of closing digital divides between the haves and have nots. As employees become the unemployed the reliance on libraries as a means of learning computer skills, creating a resume, searching for jobs, applying for jobs, and in some cases finding a job.
I invite any who are able to support your local library. Lobby for your government to prepare for the future and if they are not already effected to plan to weather the storm of the current recession.
