Statement before the Glenn A. Walsh
Board of
Directors,
Library Association: Telephone:
412-561-7876
ACLA Distribution Electronic
Mail: < gawalsh@andrewcarnegie.cc
>
Formula to Libraries Internet Web Site: < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
2006
June 13
Good evening. I am Glenn A. Walsh of
As the attached web site page
indicates, on page 2 of the first attachment, the Andrew Carnegie Free
Library’s collection size was 35,772 cataloged items in 2001, but was 22,335 in
2005. Discussing this with Library staff and a Library Board member, I have
learned that the collection size is now 18,000, may be further reduced, and
this gutting of the Library’s collection is specifically due to the “Collection
Turnover Rate” criterion of the current ACLA
formula for the distribution of RAD funds to County libraries.
Although we finally convinced Carnegie Borough
officials to significantly increase Library funding in the late 1990s, subsidy
increases are very unlikely in the foreseeable future. The Borough was
devastated by the Hurricane Ivan flooding. Several buildings in the business
district have had to be demolished. The town’s anchor retail business, Izzy
Miller Furniture, is closing. Carnegie is losing their tax base. So, to just
keep the doors open to the Andrew Carnegie Free Library, the Library Board is
doing what it can to maximize RAD funding from ACLA. And, this has meant the
discarding of nearly half of the Library’s books !!!
I donated a book memorial to the Andrew Carnegie Free
Library in April. Now, I am afraid to make any more book donations. If I donate
another book, that will mean the eventual discarding of some other book!
Anecdotally, I also understand that some libraries are
buying more popular fiction, to boost their circulation and hence their RAD
funding, while their book budget for non-fiction titles is lagging.
The RAD funds distribution formula, administered by
you, the Board of Directors of the
I joined the Andrew Carnegie Free Library Board at a
time when the Library was at great risk to close. I worked very hard to prevent
the Library from closing. I left the Board at a time when I thought that the
Library’s finances had stabilized, and the Library’s future prospects looked
good.
Now, I find that half the Library is gone! How long
will it take for the rest of the Library
to disappear? With the continual gutting of the Library’s collection, it will soon
come to the point where the Library will no longer be relevant to the community
and will close for lack of interest!
There seems to be a mindset to use the ACLA formula to
micromanage libraries, with little thought to unintended consequences. Another
example: the new public computer usage standard—do you really think the RAD Board
will agree to continue funding the EIN and agree to incentivize a maximum of 60
per cent computer usage? From the RAD perspective, this would be an inefficient
use of RAD funds. Yet, if the standard would be raised to 80-90 per cent, which
RAD may agree to, you suddenly incentivize libraries to get rid of computers to
maximize RAD funding! If you really want
to help County library patrons, this computer usage standard should never be
established.
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Statement:
In the past, the ACLA Board and Management have
defended their actions, regarding the inequitable distribution formula, by stating
that the formula was approved by the ACLA membership. Well, the ACLA members do
not represent the taxpayers of
Most County taxpayers do not know how library service
is being damaged by ACLA’s formula..
Unless changes are made, they will find out; I will see to that. You should
really reconsider using the ACLA formula for the micromanagement of libraries.
But, at the very least, the Turnover Rate and Computer Use criteria must be
eliminated.
Thank you
gaw
Attachments 2: Attachment 1 *** Attachment 2