An open letter from Anna Daniels…
For the first time in 18 years the downtown library has shuttered its doors because the city doesn’t have enough money to keep it open. SD’s Central Library is now closed on Saturdays because of the 10% mid-year budget cuts exacted from the library budget by the mayor and approved by the city council last December. That cut was larger than any other General Fund Department had to sustain. Why is the mayor balancing the budget on the back of our library system? I suspect the answer is because he can. We should all be concerned about the next budget go round in June when I believe the mayor will come after the library department yet again. (What does he have against libraries? And why are our council members willing to go along with him?)
While holding signs (shown) last Saturday, 70 people came to the closed library. Their responses ranged from… “I’m a small business owner needing to do research. This affects my growth.” “I came to do research for a psychology paper…my branch doesn’t have the resources.” “I needed to file for unemployment.” Many came to work on job resumes, research employment opportunities and file for jobs online. Others wanted to check out books and videos. One visually impaired man needed an audio book. People also wanted to use the Internet and access email saying, “We don’t all have computers.” Libraries are an important core service for any city…and I miss mine.
