Library Directors to Propose Severe Layoffs

[UpInArms]

http://www.berkeleydaily.org/text/article.cfm?issue=03-09-04&storyID=18426

Berkeley gets another sobering look at the reality of the Era Of Diminishing Budgets tonight (Tuesday, March 9) when the director of the Berkeley Public Library is expected to propose laying off 16 employees and closing the main library on Sunday. The proposal will be presented at the City Council’s 4:30 p.m. work session at the Old City Hall, where City Manager Phil Kamlarz will present some $14 million in total proposed budget reductions for fiscal years 2005 and 2006.

<snip>

And while in the midst of resolving local and state budget problems, the City Council takes another shot at national and international issues tonight at its regular 7 p.m. meeting, when it takes on competing resolutions concerning the administration of President George W. Bush. The City Council will be faced with no disagreement about whether Bush is bad for the country—only over what to do about it.

The Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission has requested that the council support a resolution “requesting an investigation as to whether impeachable offenses were committed” by Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. The alleged impeachable offenses center around the president and vice president’s actions leading up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq and the toppling of the Iraqi government.

A pre-council meeting impeachment rally co-sponsored by such organizations as the National Lawyers Guild, Veterans for Peace, the Gray Panthers, and the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarians has been set for 6 p.m. tonight (Tuesday) on the front steps of Old City Hall.
(emphasis mine)

...more...

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Similar budgetary crisis for public libraries in Pennsylvania. Most have

had their state aid slashed.

Earlier this year, Wilkes-Barre's Osterhaudt Library had to let go of 50% of their staff, stop purchasing new books altogether, and has reduced hours of operation. Some days the library closes at 6 p.m.

I guess if it comes to deciding between funding homeland security and knowledge, you know which wins out these days.

[loftycity]

2. They want to stop the information flow...

Homeland security is just a front, they don't fund that dept either.

[Voltaire99]

3. Plenty for bombs and bullets. Zip for books.

"When I hear the word 'culture,' I reach for my Browning."

[saigon68]

5. These people need to retrain as prison Guards !!!

Plenty of work available in the public sector to watch groups of minority men showering.

You have to make sure they keep their hands to themselves--- that's it.

With the War on Drugs, The War on Terror, the War on Medical Marijuana, The War on Women's health records. There will be record numbers of prisoners to watch.

[w4rma]

4. The job-loss recovery strikes again. (n/t)

[yardwork]

6. Watch out when a government closes libraries and presses

especially when it is an illegally elected government.

The most effective way to destroy a country is to burn its books, close its libraries, shut down its presses, and disrupt its communication system.