P.O. Box 1041
Telephone:
412-561-7876
Electronic
Mail: < gawalsh@andrewcarnegie.cc
>
Internet
Web Site: < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc
>
2006
June 23
By Certified Mail;
Return-Receipt Requested
Ron Moehler, President
Board of Trustees
Andrew Carnegie Free Library
and Music Hall
Dear Mr. Moehler:
On April 22, the 104th
anniversary of the official dedication by Library Donor Andrew Carnegie of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and
Music Hall, I mailed my annual donation checks to the Library’s Acting
Executive Director, Maggie Forbes, along with some concerns I have regarding
operation and rehabilitation of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music
Hall. Maggie did send me a short reply on April 27, indicating that she would
address some of the questions I raised “under separate cover.” Thus far, she
has not responded to any of these questions.
Speaking with Library staff
members, and one Library Board member, I was quite surprised to learn that the size of the Library’s collection has now fallen well below the size listed for
2005 on the Library’s web site, and may be further reduced!. While it was
my original understanding that the construction of the elevator and new
restroom required a slight reduction in collection size, from my discussions
with the staff and board member I now understand that the gutting of the Library’s collection is due, primarily, to the
Library Board’s wish to maximize Allegheny Regional Asset District (ARAD)
funding through the “Collection Turnover Rate” criterion of the Allegheny
County Library Association (ACLA) funding distribution formula..
After spending five years on
the Library Board working to keep the Library open, I must tell you that I am aghast to find that now nearly half the
Library is gone !!! Andrew Carnegie, who put great value in the
self-improvement potential of books, would be turning-over in his grave if he
knew what has become of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library!
With continuing reduction in the Library’s collection size, the Library
could soon come to the point where it is no
longer relevant to the community. Up until now, people throughout the
The Chartiers Valley
Partnership’s goal of making (actually keeping) the Andrew Carnegie Free
Library and Music Hall the primary cultural center for the
At this time, the Andrew
Carnegie Free Library may be the worst case, but ACLA’s funding distribution formula, particularly the Collection
Turnover Rate criterion, is damaging library service throughout
Ron Moehler 2006
June 23 Page
2 of 2
Consequently, I have already
delivered public statements to the Board of Directors of the Allegheny Regional
Asset District (on May 30) and the Board of Directors of the Allegheny County
Library Association (on June 13) demanding an end to ACLA’s micromanagement of
libraries through this formula, but particularly the elimination of the
Collection Turnover Rate criterion. Attached are the texts of these two
statements.
You may be interested to know
that I was not the only person to
complain to the
This also included a member of the Board of Directors
of the organization which manages the Lauri Ann West Memorial Library in
O’Hara Township. Note that this Library Board member spoke-out, despite the “gag-order” in the ACLA
Member’s Agreement, where ACLA could terminate a library’s membership if
that library is perceived as jeopardizing funding to ACLA.
As I said in my statement to
the ACLA Board, if they are not willing to make changes, I will have to start
informing the general public, as well as more public officials, of how the ACLA
formula is damaging library service in
I would welcome the active
support of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library in this effort. With the elimination of the Collection
Turnover Rate criterion, the Andrew Carnegie Free Library could slowly start
rebuilding the Library’s collection.
However, at the very least,
I, respectfully, ask that the Board of
Trustees of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library institute a one-year moratorium on
any further reductions in the Library’s collection size. This will provide
time to convince public officials how damaging the Collection Turnover Rate
criterion is to library service in
Sincerely yours,
Glenn A. Walsh
gaw
Attachments 2
Copy: Board of Trustees, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall
Janet
Sharp, Interim Library Director, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall
Maggie
Forbes, Acting Executive Director, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall
Charles R. Goetz, Co-Chair, Andrew Carnegie Free
Library and Music Hall Campaign
William E. Manby, Co-Chair, Andrew Carnegie Free
Library and Music Hall Campaign