Indianapolis Star Editorial Board Keeps Library Funding Issue Front and Center

Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library

Link to April 25 Indianpolis Star editorial, "Political plot thickens in library budget saga".

Excerpt:  Set aside the technicalities and legalities and imagine the scenario facing Mayor Greg Ballard:

Within a few weeks, his administration and the Capital Improvement Board will perform a multimillion-dollar rescue for the Indiana Pacers while six public library branches get the death penalty.

The former is highly probable. The latter, therefore, has to be avoidable. Or so it would seem.

Politics, as well as the public good, demands that some outside help come to the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library system as it copes with plummeting property tax revenues. Library officials say they've been cutting expenses and foraging for new funding sources for several years, but cannot close the looming gap without across-the-board layoffs, reduced hours and closings of heavily used and cherished branches.

Related articles:
Efficiency experts look for ways to keep branch libraries open.  (4/23/2010)
More than 1400 sign petition to keep Glendale branch open.  (4/20/2010)
Editorial:  Find resources for library.  (4/19/2010)
What's in store for Indianapolis-area libraries?  (4/17/2010)
Indiana Pacers bailout talks continue.  (4/16/2010)
Postscript.  (4/15/2010)
Look what's at the top of Indianapolis's to-do list.  (4/14/2010)
A Challenge to Indianapolis-Marion County:  Stand Up for Libraries.  (4/13/2010)
Library rally caps?  Get real, sez IndyStar editorial.  (4/12/2010)
Will Indianapolis rally for its libraries?  (4/12/2010)
Library considers branch closings.  (4/9/2010)

School and Public Libraries are Key Partners in Improving Reading Proficiency

A fundamental fact that Borsuk overlooks.

Link to April 25 Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel "On Education" column by Alan J. Borsuk, "Don't we get it? Reading is fundamental".

Excerpt: Make this a matter of top priority in every corner of Milwaukee and the state. There is too little indication of that now. We need to expect more and different from schools, for sure. But that isn't all. Parents must be reached. We need politicians, businesses, unions, nonprofits, philanthropists, church leaders, community groups, everyone must get on board in big ways. You don't think enormous community willpower can move things forward? Well, let's at least find out by trying.

Racine's 21st Street Urban Editing & Publishing

Link to website

Link to Racine Journal-Times article, "'Street fiction' publishing firm to release novel".

Excerpt:  A company that edits urban street fiction for publication has also moved into publishing the genre itself.

In October 2008 Niccole Simmons, 34, of Racine, and her nephew, Bryant Jones, 33, of Waukegan, Ill., cofounded 21st Street Urban Editing.

"Bryant had written a book and was looking for an editor," Simmons said about the company's start. But he was having a hard time finding an editor who wouldn't clean up his intentional slang and misspellings.

Simmons, who started in human services, said urban street fiction is written the way the urban culture talks; it includes forms of words not considered acceptable in traditional fiction. For example, its readers like to see "ain't" left alone.

"It's like hip-hop," Simmons said. "It's like the difference between hip-hop and R and B (rhythm and blues)."