Perhaps money is the only solution to this problem, see Patty Fisher article below, but I have to wonder if instead the needs of the library could be analyzed into a set of problems some of which could, perhaps, be solved by innovative solutions. For instance if staffing is a significant piece of the budget could the library be staffed by volunteers? If paying for utilities is a problem perhaps the library could only open during daylight hours - restrictive yes but better than no library.
By Patty Fisherpfisher@mercurynews.comPosted: 05/17/2010 12:00:00 AM PDT
The Burlingame City Council took an unusual approach to closing its $2.9 million budget gap last week. Faced with closing the Easton branch library, a 67-year-old neighborhood treasure known for its extensive children's book collection and twice-weekly story hours, the council offered residents this deal:Want your library to stay open? Fine. Just come up with $70,000 in private donations.By the end of the meeting, library supporters, including well-heeled residents of nearby Hillsborough, had pledged $4,500 and were confident they could raise the rest.
[From Fisher: California budget: A question of values - San Jose Mercury News]
To be fair I've no idea what makes up the budget of a library but this tendency to turn problems into binary situations will only lead to contraction. When the economy is not expanding at a healthy rate, or worse still in recession there is all the more reason to turn to creativity and innovation.
Least we forgot what we have accomplished imagine that you could show a 50 year old person from the year 1900 what is available in 2010. Their science fiction reading might include Jules Verne and H.G.Wells and they might be astonished to find that many of the fantasies of these stories are now realities.
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