Dan Linssen column: Brown County residents should pause, analyze future of library. (Green Bay Press Gazette, 5/7/2012)
Excerpt: Across the country, public library systems like Rockford, Ill. or Jamestown, N.Y. are diving into exploration of what a library should be for the 21st century. For years, university libraries* have been actively preparing to serve the needs of tomorrow. Many characterize the library of tomorrow as "moving out of the building and into the community" [see SIDEBAR below] or becoming "virtual libraries" or the "dramatic reduction in print books."
*But not leaving the building behind. Cornell University Library surveyed students to ask what word comes to mind most when they think of a library. The results created a wordle visualization,with “place” being (ironically) centered as the word used most often. The idea that the library is a physical building that people go to has not been lost in the digital age, and there is still this desire to have ones’ library be an escape of sorts.
And if you have any doubts, visit Exhibit A, College Library, on the UW-Madison campus during the next two weeks.
The disastrous example.
Dan, maybe you should be writing for the Rockford Register-Star. (Here's the link to the document that Director Frank Novak and the members of the Rockford Public Library board were not inclined to share.)
And it's not as if Brown County Central Library project hasn't already been well-studied.
SIDEBAR. Googling "moving out of the building and into the community".
As for the curious example, the Prendergast Library in Jamestown, New York, the board of trustees and staff seem to have enough on their hands with the recent hiring of a new director.
Such as.....
Blanching at the thought of weeding. Your library has not implemented any plan to cull, or "weed out" the (non-circulating) nonfiction collection. Since Jan. 1, 2012, only 18 books have been removed from the 300-399 section of nonfiction books. Prendergast Library owns 16,504 items in the 300-399 section of nonfiction books. That is a discard rate of 0.1 percent.
Staff morale. One of the most difficult issues facing your Prendergast Library is the perception that a climate of fear and intimidation now permeates the staff of the Prendergast Library (and System).
Everyone on the board of trustees has received anonymous, as well as signed, letters and emails. We are working diligently to assess the situation and carefully sort the legitimate causes for concern from the rumors that are circulating. Ms. Mielke has a different management style than that of her predecessor and we recognize that leadership transitions are difficult for all parties
Above quotes from Change is Inevitable at Library, by Tom Rankin, library board member, from the 4/22/2012 Jamestown Post-Journal.
Linssen's previous 'pining.
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