The best way to try to make a change is to make yourself heard.
I did reach out in support of the hours change. I included a recommendation to increase the hours on the weekends. Thank you for sharing the information, as it is important, and I would not have known if you had not let us know.
I recommended switching to a single 12 pm to 8 pm shift, M-f, to reduce staffing needs. They could then move folks to part-time positions and save on the overhead needed for full-time employees.
The old library was run by one or two full-time librarians (high-cost employees), Retired local teachers, and empty nesters (minimum-wage employees), with Students working part-time or volunteering to help with future college plans. The cost was never an issue back then, and we had 4 terminals with what was internet access back when I was in high school, available to us as residents. Which, in the 90s, was much more than a lot of folk had.
You do not need a full staff of folks with degrees to help people with computers or restock library shelves. I would bet that if we could look at the employment records of current staff, much of this is paying for employees' accreditation costs.
I saw you mentioned that they did not say prior to this that there was an issue with funding, but I am sure, as with all businesses, the costs have risen with the new state-level regulations on minimum required benefits. Add in the ridiculous level of accreditation required for some reason to work in a library, and I could see where costs are growing.
Move back to a volunteer-style program system like it was when I was a kid/teen. Those who could would run programs unpaid, or donation-based, to help the community. Usually, businesses would help with donations, or there would be bake sale fundraisers and such. This could then reduce the tax burden on the community as a whole. By reducing the amount allotted for the library from our taxes.
Very similar to how you do your community outreach meetings. I believe all programs should be private, not tax-funded.
The Space could be utilized, but would be less subsidized by taxpayers.
Thoughts in how to best communicate displeasure with the proposed changes?
Write to the board: https://elmwoodparklibrary.org/about-eppl/library-board/board-of-trustees —Kevin Gosztola
The best way to try to make a change is to make yourself heard.
I did reach out in support of the hours change. I included a recommendation to increase the hours on the weekends. Thank you for sharing the information, as it is important, and I would not have known if you had not let us know.
I recommended switching to a single 12 pm to 8 pm shift, M-f, to reduce staffing needs. They could then move folks to part-time positions and save on the overhead needed for full-time employees.
The old library was run by one or two full-time librarians (high-cost employees), Retired local teachers, and empty nesters (minimum-wage employees), with Students working part-time or volunteering to help with future college plans. The cost was never an issue back then, and we had 4 terminals with what was internet access back when I was in high school, available to us as residents. Which, in the 90s, was much more than a lot of folk had.
You do not need a full staff of folks with degrees to help people with computers or restock library shelves. I would bet that if we could look at the employment records of current staff, much of this is paying for employees' accreditation costs.
I saw you mentioned that they did not say prior to this that there was an issue with funding, but I am sure, as with all businesses, the costs have risen with the new state-level regulations on minimum required benefits. Add in the ridiculous level of accreditation required for some reason to work in a library, and I could see where costs are growing.
Move back to a volunteer-style program system like it was when I was a kid/teen. Those who could would run programs unpaid, or donation-based, to help the community. Usually, businesses would help with donations, or there would be bake sale fundraisers and such. This could then reduce the tax burden on the community as a whole. By reducing the amount allotted for the library from our taxes.
Very similar to how you do your community outreach meetings. I believe all programs should be private, not tax-funded.
The Space could be utilized, but would be less subsidized by taxpayers.