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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2009 > September > 16 > Entry
Guest column: Many depend on Dayton libraries, even to Google
2009 ELECTION
This column was written by Tim Kambitsch, executive director of the Dayton Metro Library.
The Sept. 6 editorial (“Strickland not only problem facing libraries”) describing the challenges facing public libraries suggested that some people believe libraries are less relevant in the age of Google and that other institutions might be better suited to provide some of libraries’ most heavily used services.
The majority of Dayton-area residents disagrees with that viewpoint. Every day, more than 10,000 area residents visit a public library. In fact, the Dayton Metro Library is busier than ever before.
Last year, residents checked out a record 7.6 million items. This year we will easily exceed that number. Foot traffic is up, too, with almost 3.7 million visits to our 21 locations. Eighty-five percent of households in our service area have at least one active library user. For many families, the library is essential to their quality of life.
A key fact missing from the editorial is that approximately one in three people do not have access to a computer with Internet in their homes. Last year, library visitors logged almost 750,000 hours on library computers.
People rely on the library for homework, job hunting and other activities that are essential to living in a digital world. Newspaper editors and other knowledge workers may be able to easily flip a few fingers to look up a fact from their desk, but the library is often the only place many other people can access online content.
With government agencies, employers and educational institutions all expecting people to have ready access to the Internet, it is clear that public libraries are needed more, not less.
For someone without computer experience, having access to the Internet isn’t enough. They need help getting started.
As at many libraries, the Dayton Metro Library offers free, hands-on classes in basic computer skills. Offerings range from how to get started using e-mail to online job hunting.
There is also a free, open computer lab where a librarian gives one-on-one assistance for the person trying to master the computer. The classes have had a waiting list since they began.
The editorial is correct in pointing out the funding challenges facing public libraries. We can’t ask local voters to make up for all the state cuts.
The Dayton Metro Library has implemented substantial cost-saving strategies, including unpaid furlough days and wage freezes for all employees, cutting the book budget, reducing programs and leaving jobs unfilled.
It’s especially tough when we see a growth in demand for services. We will spend nearly $1.8 million less in 2009 than in 2008. We know we will have to make more cuts next year.
The fate of the levy in November will have a huge impact. Even if the levy passes and we see an increase in local funding, we will have approximately $1.6 million less revenue in 2010 than last year.
However, it is the consequences of a failed levy that demand everyone’s attention. Failure means that revenues would drop to nearly half of last year. Failure means the closure of more than half our branches or limiting their hours to only a few days per week.
The Dayton Metro Library will have to lay off more than half of its employees and cut book buying to the bone. Those cuts will mean that hundreds of thousands of books will be inaccessible and hundreds of computers will sit idle. Kids will not have the safe and constructive spaces after school or in the evening.
Our community uses the Dayton Metro Library now more than ever. The loss of this community resource now would leave a big gap that no other institution can fill.
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment | Categories: Elections, Guest Columns
Comments
By jpm
September 16, 2009 4:55 PM | Link to this
Maybe if you folks would of voted on casinos 10 years ago things like this don’t happen.By kyle
September 16, 2009 8:17 PM | Link to this
The important issue here is priorities. The rule of law and order is first, then should be education and quality of life/conservation (ie libraries and parks). Outside of these issues, the government should defer to localities.By bobby
September 17, 2009 10:24 AM | Link to this
In 2005, the library had 525 employees.In 2009, the library had 600 employees.[source:Dayton Business Journal] Why were 600 employees necessary for 21 branches? Why wasn’t some sort of economic catastrophe clause negotiated in the union contract? How many of the 7.6 million items checked out were video games,cd’s,movies,and items besides books?By Roger
September 17, 2009 11:24 AM | Link to this
Bobby: so in your mind, the only useful purpose of a library is books? You should actually visit one of those branches and join the 21st Century.By booklover553
September 17, 2009 12:08 PM | Link to this
Bobby—Many employees are part-time high school/college students working 5-20 hours a week at minimum wage and many are substitutues who may work only a couple of hours a month, if that.By Dan Kennedy
September 18, 2009 9:55 PM | Link to this
Casinos are a fools solution to economic problems. They do not create wealth, they suck wealth out of a community. Contrary opinions follow from a failure of basic economic education. It’s also off topic. The library is an important institution for education and lifelong learning. If a community values education, then it funds it’s libraries. It’s that simple. I will vote to support the levy, I hope that you will join me.By bobby
September 20, 2009 6:22 PM | Link to this
Roger,I use my local library and check out BOOKS. Taxpayers should not be asked to subsidize free entertainment for movies and video games. The last election cycle we were duped into supporting a human services levy, then the county decides they need a 300k ad campaign, paid by thelevy,to reduce obesity because children aren’t active and playing video games. Connect the dots. A 14% increase in labor between 2005 and 2009 is not good stewardship. In addition, if you Google the May,2009 Dayton Business Journal article,you will see that the library wanted the levy money for other uses before Strickland pulled the plug on their funding…What is the largest expense in the library budget? Labor and benefits are the answer…If there are less items to catalogue [games and videos], there is less labor needed. Taxpayers are entitled to see real cost/benefit analysis of all governmental agencies that ask for more of our money.By Issue 40, Vote Yes
September 21, 2009 3:08 PM | Link to this
If you love libraries, and you want to see them stay open, vote yes Nov. 3rd. on issue 40. I am willing to pay an extra dollar a month to keep my libraries open because a dollar can not begin to replace the value I receive from the Library. Protect our library. Visit www.protectourlibrary.orgBy libraryuser
September 22, 2009 12:09 PM | Link to this
I recently visited with my nephew who is currently unemployed. I was surprised to hear how many of the library services he has had to make use of since his unemployement. He uses the computers for job hunting, he uses the word processing to update his resume. He uses email to send those resumes out because he can not afford internet at home nor does he have a home computer. He checks out books and activity books for his 3 small children and himself. He does check out DVDs because he can not afford other entertainment. But the thing that surprised me the most was what else he said: “it gives him home” and “it’s there for me to feel like I am doing something”. The recent branch closures concerned him because he checks for jobs daily. How does he get there with his children - he walks - yep it even gives him some physical fitness! So do libraries fill the need for Dayton citizen’s you bet it does! So for all you naysayers on the levy - when was the last time one thing filled so many of your needs? Think about it! Vote for Issue 40 to help yourself, your children and your neighbor out!By bobby
September 22, 2009 1:52 PM | Link to this
Issue 4, Where did this dollar a month come from? Why not create a friends of the library club and make the dues five dollars a month. It surely is worth an extra five dollars. In three years the friends of the library club can raise their dues to fiteen dollars a month.If this happens every three or four years, you may, or may not, question the value and necessity of all the services of the library that your club supports. That is the dilemma the library faces with many taxpayers…An alternative funding source at the state level might be a moratorium on highway sound walls, with monies saved to fund libraries.