Save the Liberry!

We’re starting to see the effects of the recession ripple and cycle across our society. Jobs lost erode the tax base leading to budgets cut leading to lost jobs, etc. ad nauseum. Libraries, often perceived as “non-essential”, are at risk, which is unfortunate, because they’ve been acting as a valuable safety net for people in need.

splwallingford Originally uploaded by Seattle Times

Earlier this month, for example, the New York Times ran an article, Downturn Puts New Stresses on Libraries, that described how libraries are seeing a major uptick in use, often for help in resume writing and job-searching:

“I guess I’m not really used to people with tears in their eyes,” said Rosalie Bork, a reference librarian in Arlington Heights, a well-to-do suburb of Chicago. “It has been unexpectedly stressful. We feel so anxious to help these people, and it’s been so emotional for them.”

What a terrible time to cut funding, and yet Jayanne Hino of the Friends of Seattle Public Library wrote us that while Seattle library use is up 20%, the city has proposed cutting the library’s capital budget by 2/3 from 2009 to 2010.

And Wallingford has reason to worry. We have the second smallest branch in the Seattle system and the only one operating on leased property. But, despite her small size, the Wallingford branch has the circulation of a medium-sized branch and circulates more children’s books than the much larger University branch, according to Jayanne. No surprise on that last point, with the school, Solid Ground, FamilyWorks and the Boys and Girls Club all so close.

If you’d like to learn more, including how to let city council members know how you feel about it, head over to the Friends of Seattle Public Library’s web site.