They want to take the last truly socialized good in America away from you which is your libraries

[Democrats Ramshield]

by Democrats Ramshield

(This diary is written by an American expat living in the European Union who is a male business librarian who holds a graduate library degree (MLS) and a Master's degree in business administration in marketing).

Libraries throughout history have survived censorship, book burnings, natural disasters and even the fires of the great libraries of Alexandria couldn't destroy the library which is a collection of anyone who has ever thought and written. It is a collective memory of humanity, human history and development. The conservatives fund cutting acts want to take it from you because they've decided that the library is the last truly socialized institution in America. Therefore the libraries have to be starved of funding because socialism in America is a bad thing.

American libraries are among the last truly socialized goods in America. In fact that's the reason I become a librarian is because basically everyone who walks in the door of a library can be treated equally. It doesn't matter whether you're the mayor or unemployed, your library card gives you access to the same materials and services. It's a place where there is social justice and fairness and equal treatment for all and they're in the process of taking it away from you a bit more every day.

(Please click on the link below to read the rest of my Daily Kos diary.)
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/01/22/1057296/-They-want-to-take-the-last-truly-socialized-good-in-America-away-from-you-which-is-your-libraries?via=siderec

[madfloridian]

1. Great diary and post.

I have tried to point out the defunding of libraries in the US under both parties, and no one seems especially interested. They are quickly closing school libraries, and trying to privatize the public ones. I can not in my wildest dreams imagine that more people are not upset.

In fact the ALA has been trying as well to point out that Obama is closing school libraries.

"WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Obama’s FY2011 Budget Proposal to Congress released today included a $400 billion investment into education but did not include specific funds for school libraries. Additionally, the budget called for a consolidation of the funds for the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program, which takes the funds out of reach for most school libraries.

“This Administration says it wants to focus on programs that are effective, but it has not only recommended policy that will keep school libraries underfunded, but it will also eliminate funds for a program that the Department of Education has evaluated twice and found to be effective both times,” American Association of School Libraries (AASL) President Cassandra Barnett said. AASL is a division of the American Library Association (ALA)."

My diaries at Daily Kos and I also am trying my hand at Twitter

[Lorien]

2. No one can say that "no one visits libraries anymore"

I'm in Central Florida and ours are always packed. We don't have a great selection of books or other materials, but people come anyway. Mostly the poor, students and the well educated, none of which are favored by the GOP or the New "Democrats". There's a crowd of people waiting for the doors to open in the morning, and at least a couple dozen when our tiny local branch closes every evening. The night drop sees a steady stream of cars. The library seems busier than ever-which is another reason why they want to privatize them.

[Leopolds Ghost]

3. Thank you so much for this post.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iXihbfPIA9I/To93VVSWycI/AAAAAAAANag/jHErnvQtg9E/s320/68045+-+artist+whitediamonds+book+candle+tired+twilight_sparkle.jpg

[midnight]

4. "low retrieval with high pertinence"

What you need what we in library circles refer to as low retrieval with high pertinence. That is to say, you only get a small amount of information that is the most relevant information in satisfaction of your information needs rather than getting voluminous irrelevant information that you can't use which doesn't have the sufficient depth and scope. That's why you need a library that has professional collection development and collection maintenance that mirrors the needs of the community as determined by a community analysis conducted by professional library staff.