Thursday, October 12, 2006

Perspective

If you're looking for community support for libraries and you haven't read it yet, go read the Lawrence, Kansas editorial about why they don't need a new library downtown. Libraries are limited, obsolete.

Then read the loooooong string of comments. There are plenty of community members who are articulate and passionate about the value of libraries.

Now the question is: are these same people turning up at the voting booth? If not, why not? If they are, how can we as the library industry help support their passion and turn it into tangible action that elected officials see?

With my devil's advocate hat on, some of the same things the article writer talks about, I think would be good for the library to do "in addition" to being a solid community downtown institution.

Why not have a library kiosk at the pharmacy or hospital, right where someone might want to do some hardcore database research on medications, sympotoms, risks? (I know, I know--it's the money issue again...)

I'm off on an adventure for the next 5 days--

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