Update on the library meeting room fee

I have heard some more details about the changes in the Durham libraries, and a response by some citizen groups is in the works. 

 

A librarian gave me an unconfirmed rumor that there will be a three day grace period to return books and fines for an overdue book or video will be capped at $5 dollars. Someone else in the know told me that libraries around the country are doing this, because people apparently accumulate fines, and then never use the library again!

 

There are various explanations for the fee.  A librarian told me it was to replace lost revenue.  A member of the Library's board of trustees told me that they did not like this decision, but it came straight from the County Commissioners, and is relatively low and seen as half of the for-profit fee.  Reportedly Ellen Reckhow proposed it two years ago and it was approved during budget discussions at the Commissioners' meetings in May and June this year.  The board member told me the fee is for room upkeep.  The rooms aren't that dirty or in need of upgrades I think.  Another person with Library connections told me this is not related to the changes in fines, but is purely the County Commissioners trying to raise general revenue for the government.  That person expects this policy will fail, because for-profit users won't use the libraries.

 

The changes are supposed to start September 4th.  It looks like the smaller room at Parkwood and even smaller rooms at the North and East branches will continue to be free.  The board member said there were some inaccuracies in my earlier account,  I think this corrects them (though I doubt the fee is really only for room upkeep), but if anyone with information thinks this is inaccurate, please comment!

 

I noticed yesterday that (I think) 62 luxuriant marijuana plants were found and destroyed in Durham.  I wonder how much those drug surveillance flights cost and what levels of government pay for them.  The anti-drug war looks worse for society than the affects of many or all of the major illegal drugs, and money is being spent on this counterproductive policy and wars while services, such as free library services, are being cut or made more costly to the public.  My point is, there are plenty of ways to reduce government spending without cutting services that are beneficial or vital to Americans, especially those who aren't wealthy.        

Impeachment protest Monday and Library update

This is an announcement abourt the protest in Chapel Hill at noon Monday.  At first I thought this had to do with the July 23rd national day of action on the Downing Street Memos in 2005, which is about the time when I got involved in impeachment campaigning.  The media is being invited, so let's make it a big event and make them pay attention to the mass support for impeaching Bush-Cheney! 

 

> > > MONDAY /JULY 23RD AT TWELVE O'CLOCK
> > >
> > > AT FRANKLIN STREET POST OFFICE
> > >
> > > IN CHAPEL HILL
> > >
> > > 300 ORANGE BALLOONS
> > >
> > > WILL BE GIVEN AWAY
> > >
> > > COME AND BRING YOUR SUPPORT FOR IMPEACHMENT
> > >
> > > AND BE SUPPORTED BY THOSE
> > >
> > > AROUND YOU
> > >
> > > IF YOU CAN, WEAR ORANGE ON MONDAY
> > >
> > > JULY 23, A COLOR THAT HAS COME TO STAND FOR
> > >
> > > NONVIOLENT REVOLUTION
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > *
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > MONDAY JULY 23RD CINDY SHEEHAN WILL LEAD A MARCH
> FROM ARLINGTON NATIONAL
> > > CEMETERY (AT 10AM) TO CAPITOL HILL, TO THE
> OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN JOHN
> > > CONYERS TO ASK HIM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH
> IMPEACHMENT OF THE PRESIDENT, GEORGE
> > > BUSH AND VICE-PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > This event has been accomplished by private
> funds of average people and
> > > businesses tired of the goings on of the
> Government. There will be no
> > > speeches, brochures or requests for funds; just
> people to people. Please
> > > come. Thank you.
 

> > > CEMETERY (AT 10AM) TO CAPITOL HILL, TO THE
> OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN JOHN
> > > CONYERS TO ASK HIM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH
> IMPEACHMENT OF THE PRESIDENT, GEORGE
> > > BUSH AND VICE-PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > This event has been accomplished by private
> funds of average people and
> > > businesses tired of the goings on of the
> Government. There will be no
> > > speeches, brochures or requests for funds; just
> people to people. Please
> > > come. Thank you.
 

I wouldn't link this to Ukraine's so-called "revolution" a few years ago, which was really just a fight between two different wings of capital, not between different classes, like the revolutions in England, America (I would guess), France, or Russia.  Orange is a logical color for impeachment because peaches are an orange color (im-peach).  Thus Andy Silver's orange to impeach campaign, which has either spread across the country or been independently duplicated all over.   

 

The Durham Library Situation

 

I was told by a librarian that one or both of Parkwood's meeting rooms will cost starting in September, and this is a systemwide policy.  The fee will be $50 dollars for anything up to 4 hours and $100 dollars over that.  The rooms will also be opened up to for-profit activities, though those users will pay double the cost,

 

Apparently this is part of a longstanding wish by the County Commissioners for changes in the Library system.  Overdue book fines will be reduced, for example, by restoring the four-day grace period (which I think is a helpful idea), and the Commissioners introduced the fee to make up for the lost revenue.  There is at least some discontent among the librarians. 

 

As I said yesterday, I think this policy discourages citizens from organizing groups and events by depriving those without funds of a very user-friendly and publicly funded meeting space.  Taxes are supposed to support the libraries and surely they could have saved some money by making cuts elsewhere if they couldn't increase the Library's appropriation in the budget.  I'm glad for-profit users will have to pay more, thus potentially discouraging them from competing with non-profits for the spaces, but at the same time it seems a bit arbitrary and unfair to make them pay double the price.  Possibly the small meeting room at Parkwood will stay free, but I predict it will then be hard to book, because that Library is already sometimes very busy.  I belong to three groups that meet about monthly in the libraries, two of them at Parkwood, and as I said, I would have to pay for one of those groups.   

 

There is a complaint list, at least at Parkwood, and concerned people can also call, email, or write to the County Commissioners to complain (contact info is on the County Government website and in the League of Women Voters publications at the libraries).  The Library had several public meetings earlier in the summer, but as far as I know they did not advertise that this fee was being eyed and I don't know if it was discussed at those events.   

Keep the Durham Co. libraries free

I heard from the Durham BORDC's organizer that using either the auditorium or the upstairs conference room at the Main Library now costs $50 dollars.  I also heard that the Parkwood Branch Library will probably charge for the large meeting room (according to one librarian) or possibly both starting in September.  It looks like this is a system wide change, but I haven't confirmed that yet. 

 

I think this is a bad idea that conflicts with the traditional concept of a public library that also serves as a community center.  I reserve a library meeting room in Durham at least 12 times a year, and it is too costly to pay a fee of $600 dollars a year.  This impacts everyone, but especially citizen groups without financial status, the poor, students, and homeless people.  Sure there are cheaper or free spaces, but these are mostly private locations with more drawbacks.  Church rooms are often very busy, may have a fee, and political meetings might be prohibited.  Homes might be too small, lack parking, and are private spaces that people might not want to use for public meetings open to everyone,  Southpoint Mall and coffee shops provide meeting spaces, but they are also crowded or busy with through traffic, small, and are more limited than the libraries have been,  If this change is to save money, I think it would be more in keeping with the mission of libraries if they saved money instead by not allowing refreshments (the serving of which already has a fee), cutting the lawn less often, etc.  

 

I will provide an update about this when I have more details, but I was told that the Library is taking complaints, so we should send them in (contact information is available at www.durhamcountylibrary.org). 

 

Another longstanding issue, possibly having to do with money, is the way the Library decides which books in its collection to sell. 

Cindy Sheehan in Carrboro today

Cindy Sheehan will be at Weaver Street Market in
Carrboro today (7/19) at noon for an event organized
by the Grass Roots Impeachment Movement.

In the evening (I think at 7pm) the Durham Bush-Cheney
Impeachment Meetup will be meeting for July at the
Parkwood Branch Library in Durham.

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Creeping US fascism? discussion July 21st

Creeped out by recent US history?  How far towards
fascism has the USA gone under Bush-Cheney?  Join the
discussion, Saturday, August 21st at 2:30 in the
conference room of the Chapel Hill Public Library. For
more information, including suggested online readings
by Michael Ruppert and R Palme Dutt, see durhamspark.blogspot.com.

An activist from a local Bill of Rights Defense Committee (www.bordc.org)

will attend, and I might have a video to show also, 

This is the July meeting of the Triangle Socialist
Forum, a non-partisan group for discussing issues
related to socialist theory and practice and broader
progressive topics.