Save The Library Board
I want to share this with you because I believe it to be very informative. It was published in the Morning Sun and Girard Press. The library needs your help, we have been in operation for 107 years and currently function as the legislature set Kansas Libraries up to run, with a 7 member board of trustees. The majority of these volunteers are honest, trustworthy individuals willing to donate their time because they fully support the library and the staff. They believe in our programs and in the future of the library and they want to make sure that all operations are handled correctly. They do this to the benefit of the patrons and of the city of Girard. We must keep them in place.
Thank You,
Terri Harley,
Director
Dear Editor:
In the Wednesday, July 28 issue of the Pittsburg Morning Sun it read: "The Girard City Council approved a motion . . . to eliminate the library board and to assign full responsibility of library functions to be under the direction of the city council." Upon reading this I was shocked. To my knowledge there is no library in the state of Kansas, city, county or regional that does not have a library board. Why does the Girard city council think that Girard should be the exception? If the system works for all other libraries in Kansas why do they want to change it in Girard? Do the citizens of Girard really want the city council to take over their library?
Why would Councilwoman Sandra Hallacy propose, Richard Cussamanio second and Sharon Matson vote for dissolving the Girard Library Board? Doesn't the city council have better things to worry about such as their own budget problems and efficiently running the city? Do they really need to take on even more responsibilities? With recent city layoffs due to past budget shortsightedness, loss of population and businesses in Girard, dwindling utility funds, needed street maintenance, police and fire department needs, maintaining the city parks, cemetery, pool and golf course and so forth, you would think the council would have more pressing items on their agenda.
Over the past few years the director and the library board have taken the Girard Public Library forward in leaps and bounds. The library is considered a model library in the State of Kansas and in the United States. It has wonderful programs for children and adults. It is a clean, efficient, well-equipped, modern, and well-maintained building with an experienced, well-trained staff. Girard is blessed to have such a wonderful facility yet the Girard city council wants to jeopardize what Girard has and punish the board and the director for all they have accomplished over the years? This is not logical and it is definitely not beneficial for the community.
The Kansas Legislature established library boards so the budgets would be separate, as school budgets are, from the city getting to control the money - tax money voted specifically for libraries by city residents. By the council taking over the library the public and patrons will ultimately suffer the consequences of such control. Will the council transfer specified public library funds to pay for the golf course debts? Will they use library money for their other shortfalls while allowing the new library building to deteriorate? Will they hire cheap, inexperienced labor and offer poor services? Will they want to charge for programs or new items in the collection? Will they cut hours or close the library to bolster their budget?
It should be up to YOU the people of Girard to decide if dissolving the library board is what you want. What Gene Leigh and the three members of the Girard council are trying to do should concern all library boards and patrons in the state because the council is trying to establish a precedent, which could ultimately affect every public library in Kansas. Dissolving the library board is not the answer, working together, as other cities do, is.
In the Aug. 1 issue of the Morning Sun, Councilman Cussimanio is said to feel that the library is merely a "luxury" item in the city budget.
Access to reading materials, facts, knowledge and the Internet; the library, a place that promotes life-long learning, is a "luxury" item? Do Girard residents really want someone who makes this kind of a statement to have "full responsibly of library functions?"
We are in the Information Age when well-run libraries and free access to information is extremely vital to a community's reputation, growth and success. Therefore, local library boards are even more important and greatly needed because, unlike city councils, the library boards' soul purpose is to be an advocate for a good libraries and library programs. If you do not have such advocates the library is doomed to deteriorate and the community and the future community will suffer the consequences.
Is this what Girard wants? If not, then I encourage each of you to call your council representatives and encourage them to not dissolve the library board and/or attend the next meeting of the Girard City Council on the evening of Monday, Aug. 7.
Debra Sims
Former Interim Director of the Girard Public Library
Olathe
Thank You,
Terri Harley,
Director
Dear Editor:
In the Wednesday, July 28 issue of the Pittsburg Morning Sun it read: "The Girard City Council approved a motion . . . to eliminate the library board and to assign full responsibility of library functions to be under the direction of the city council." Upon reading this I was shocked. To my knowledge there is no library in the state of Kansas, city, county or regional that does not have a library board. Why does the Girard city council think that Girard should be the exception? If the system works for all other libraries in Kansas why do they want to change it in Girard? Do the citizens of Girard really want the city council to take over their library?
Why would Councilwoman Sandra Hallacy propose, Richard Cussamanio second and Sharon Matson vote for dissolving the Girard Library Board? Doesn't the city council have better things to worry about such as their own budget problems and efficiently running the city? Do they really need to take on even more responsibilities? With recent city layoffs due to past budget shortsightedness, loss of population and businesses in Girard, dwindling utility funds, needed street maintenance, police and fire department needs, maintaining the city parks, cemetery, pool and golf course and so forth, you would think the council would have more pressing items on their agenda.
Over the past few years the director and the library board have taken the Girard Public Library forward in leaps and bounds. The library is considered a model library in the State of Kansas and in the United States. It has wonderful programs for children and adults. It is a clean, efficient, well-equipped, modern, and well-maintained building with an experienced, well-trained staff. Girard is blessed to have such a wonderful facility yet the Girard city council wants to jeopardize what Girard has and punish the board and the director for all they have accomplished over the years? This is not logical and it is definitely not beneficial for the community.
The Kansas Legislature established library boards so the budgets would be separate, as school budgets are, from the city getting to control the money - tax money voted specifically for libraries by city residents. By the council taking over the library the public and patrons will ultimately suffer the consequences of such control. Will the council transfer specified public library funds to pay for the golf course debts? Will they use library money for their other shortfalls while allowing the new library building to deteriorate? Will they hire cheap, inexperienced labor and offer poor services? Will they want to charge for programs or new items in the collection? Will they cut hours or close the library to bolster their budget?
It should be up to YOU the people of Girard to decide if dissolving the library board is what you want. What Gene Leigh and the three members of the Girard council are trying to do should concern all library boards and patrons in the state because the council is trying to establish a precedent, which could ultimately affect every public library in Kansas. Dissolving the library board is not the answer, working together, as other cities do, is.
In the Aug. 1 issue of the Morning Sun, Councilman Cussimanio is said to feel that the library is merely a "luxury" item in the city budget.
Access to reading materials, facts, knowledge and the Internet; the library, a place that promotes life-long learning, is a "luxury" item? Do Girard residents really want someone who makes this kind of a statement to have "full responsibly of library functions?"
We are in the Information Age when well-run libraries and free access to information is extremely vital to a community's reputation, growth and success. Therefore, local library boards are even more important and greatly needed because, unlike city councils, the library boards' soul purpose is to be an advocate for a good libraries and library programs. If you do not have such advocates the library is doomed to deteriorate and the community and the future community will suffer the consequences.
Is this what Girard wants? If not, then I encourage each of you to call your council representatives and encourage them to not dissolve the library board and/or attend the next meeting of the Girard City Council on the evening of Monday, Aug. 7.
Debra Sims
Former Interim Director of the Girard Public Library
Olathe
posted by Library Director at 5:39 PM
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