The Tip of the Iceberg?

Fitchburg (Massachusetts) Public Library

Link to February 15 Fitchburg (MA) sentinelandenterprise.com, "Local libraries brace for budget cuts".

Here's the current worst-case, pre-brace scenario.

Fitchburg, Massachusetts, a community of 41,000, is located about 50 miles west-northwest of Boston. Last year, at the recommendation of Mayor Lisa Wong, the Fitchburg City Council approved a cut of $800,000 to the library's budget. As a result, the library is now open 3 days per week. (See for yourself.) In addition, the library lost its certification, which means, as far as I can tell, that Fitchburg residents can't go elsewhere to obtain library services. (See here and here.)

I suspect there might be more to the story that what's covered in the above linked article. I sorta stumbled across the blog "Save Fitchburg", googled "library", and read some less than flattering posts. (Not that other city services were spared any barbs.) 'Course I have no idea where contributors Karen and Jason stand politically, philosophically, morally, or otherwise. (They don't seem to be "About Me" kinda people.)

Fitchburg's main problems, though, is a loss of its manufacturing base with nothing much to replace it. Its unemployment and poverty rates are higher than the state averages. Last October, the Boston Globe featured Fitchburg in an article titled, "Where the cutbacks might hurt the most".

And just in case you missed this story about a seriously distressed city.......
http://paulsnewsline.blogspot.com/2009/02/wheres-bottom-in-braddock-pa.html

At least its library seems to be doing better.