Let me start off by saying that I am a frequent library patron. Libraries have saved me more money, and educated me better than most of my primary school teachers. The Santa Clarita Libraries were one of the last non corporate, and by that standard relatively unbiased things in Santa Clarita, true gems. But it seems the aging libraries did not measure up to the standards of our "fair" city, and as such they have been outsourced.
Don't believe me?
New York times Article about it here
Now, some of my readers might argue, so what? A private business can do it better, faster and cheaper than a state run facility. True, but here are a few unforeseen consequences.
1. The library could loose it's ability to be objective. Government facilities at least to try to be objective, private industry doesn't have to and because of this it carries with it the slant of it's board of directors. All the new company, has to do is not stock the shelves with anything that their board of directors finds objectionable.if for some reason the board finds, let's say, farhenhight 451 too offensive they can just not have it.
I mean look what happened to the news when the FCC repealed the rules about ratings and the news became slaves to the advertisement industry like all other TV. TV news is now officially worthless dribble, the same thing can happen to our libraries.
2. This isn't about the libraries, it is about cutting unionized jobs. The company taking over is almost sure to do this and this is something the primarily conservative town of SCV, and the allegedly Mormon owned new-hall land and farm would love to see happen. The thing is people don't become librarians for the sick money, and cool cars, they do it because they love books and they love helping people learn. A bunch of part time college students working for minimum wage cant replace passion, and as such the quality of the library will fail.
3. The libraries loose collections. Just today I walked into the Valencia branch of the Libraries, guess what? their entire non-English section is gone. Repossessed by the county for fear of it being broken up by the private firm. As I walked around, shelves sat empty, taken back by the county for fear of being mishandled.
4. The library no longer has a reason to serve it's patrons, only it's bottom line. How can a company make profit off of a library? that is easy, charging exorbitant late fee's, by charging for the internet, and by giving sub-par customer service by a 8.00 an hour minimum wage COC student etc.
The most upsetting thing is how secret this all is. I read in somewhere that the city council voted 4-1 for this... I want to shake that one man or woman's hand and I want to get the rest impeached.
You SHOULD shake that one man or woman's hand. In fact, you should campaign for them in the next election.
ReplyDeleteBob Keller. His name is bob Keller. I later Learned, apparently He is the last politician with balls on the city council. Thanks for the comment.
ReplyDelete