Will Your Town’s Library Soon Be Privatized?

[marmar]

from the Blog for Iowa:



Will Your Town’s Library Soon Be Privatized?
November 12, 2011 | Author Dave Bradley


One of the things we need to do from time to time is to step back and try to get a fix on what direction we are headed. Often we allow others to come in and take control without realizing what has happened. It happens in our private lives and it certainly happens in the public domain.

So over the past 30 years beginning with Ronald Reagan, we have watched our government be dismantled as pieces are sold off or leased to the highest bidder. We also see government services be passed out to private businesses never realizing that if the private company does not perform up to expectations or keep prices in line they will probably not be able to bring the service back in house.

We have seen this happen to everything from garbage pick up to public utilities and now to schools. Whether the privatized business performs or not, governmental bodies for the most part are not willing to put up with the fuss that would ensue were they to try to bring the service back in house.

I bring this up because last evening I had a conversation with one of our local librarians. They are taking an annual survey to see how they can better serve the community. I asked if this was to stave off privatizing libraries. Another person who was listening in said, “What do you mean “privatized” libraries?” I explained that, yes indeed, cities and towns around the country are closing their libraries and letting private companies operate them. ...............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.blogforiowa.com/2011/11/12/privatized-libraries-may-be-coming-to-your-city/

[B Calm]

1. Thanks to conservatism this country is going straight down the toilet!

[bluestateguy]

2. And then all of a sudden there is a fee for everything

A fee for a library card, a fee to use the computers, a fee for an elementary school class to come and visit, a fee to simply come in and use the desks to do your homework. And how about a special collections or rare books fee to check out books deemed high maintenance?

And then all of the books that conflict with the company's bottom line just mysteriously disappear from the library's shelves.

[lib_wit_it]

3. I've been worried about this for a while now. Just falls right in line with the Reich Wing MO.

[frazzled]

4. I had no idea about this

I found the best information about this at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/27/business/27libraries.html

It should be mentioned that privatized libraries are different than "private" libraries. There are several of those in Chicago that are valuable resources for special collections: The Newberry Library, the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum (natural history) Library, etc. But this idea of privatizing public libraries is very distressing. It really is the end of an era after 100 years of public schools, libraries, post offices, etc. The world as I know it seems to be coming to an end.

[Maccagirl]

5. The politicians will just blame it on the latest levy that failed...

"We're sorry folks. There is NO money and we have to privatize...I mean prioritize." Yes, I see it happening. Our libraries are already closed early on Saturday and all day on Sunday-and I don't live in a small town.

[RKP5637]

6. Fascism, well and alive. n/t

[dkf]

7. It's all about pensions.

[izquierdista]

8. Goddamn Ferengis!

Who knew that Reagan was really the Grand Nagus, sent here to figure out how every little thing, down to checking out a library book, can be run for a profit. I suppose all one had to do was look, since they DO bear a great resemblance.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

9. this is what the GOP wants to do but the community should run their own

I think that there should be a movement that people can run their own cooperatives. Coop banks, grocery stores etc - for the workers by the workers. Can you imagine - company takes over the local library - the community forms a picket at the door and sends people to the community library.

[valerief]

10. That means the only books there will be Bibles. nt

[Hutzpa]

11. Imagine the audacity of this company

As a private company, LSSI (Library Systems and Services Inc.) can choose to censor library materials. It can do with citizens’ loan records anything not specifically prohibited by a city’s contract.

Most importantly, LSSI is in the library business (an astonishing turn of phrase) to make a profit. It does this by reducing the quality and quantity of library services while charging high costs to host cities, banking the difference to dole out to its shareholders and spread virus-like to other unsuspecting towns.”

It is obvious to see whats driving them, PROFIT I hope the democrats in these cities do not allow this to happen and it is our
job to bring this to light, the more people start learning about their motive the better.

[B Calm]

13. They'll choose what websites you can go to too. DU will probably be forbidden.

[AldebTX]

12. Ours is Already Privatized.

It's in a Dallas burb. It's run by a company called LSSI. They run it. The City still pays for it's budget and still has to provide support services.

Basically it is a big scheme to cut salaries.....take away retirement benefits and cut the number of college educated librarians.

[Hutzpa]

15. And what are those support services?

nt.

[Dawson Leery]

14. Reaganomics, the Chicago School, Milton Friedman, Neo-Liberalism....etc

are ALL to blame for the war against the taxpayer funded commons.