On March 25, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, released a new report on Internet use in public libraries.
The report, Opportunity for All: How the American Public Benefits from Internet Access at U.S. Public Libraries, looked at who is using public computers and how they are using them in public libraries. The study found that some 77 million or about 1/3 of all Americans use the public library to access the Internet.
This mirrors our experience here at the Huntington Beach Public Library - the demand for our public computers continues to grow and is only limited by the number of computers that we have available. At peak times, all of our public computers along with 65 - 85 WiFi connections will be in use at the Library.
As society becomes more and more reliant on electronic information, services and resources, the Library is more and more essential. Your library is an anchor institution in the community, connecting people to information, services and resources that they need in their daily lives.
We will continue to work hard to maintain these essential services.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Public Libraries across the country
This past week, as we were dealing with pending reductions in our hours and looking at our overall budget situation, I received an invitation from a colleague in New Jersey to join SAVE NJ Libraries on Facebook. Both state and local tax support for library services is in jeopardy.
Just about a week before that I received an invitation to join a group to SAVE the Los Angeles Public Library - L.A.'s enormous budget shortfall looks like it will result in severe cuts to the Public Library system.
I have also joined a group to support the San Rafael Library in their efforts to pass a parcel tax to support library services.
When the economy takes a downturn, libraries see an increase in use. We are seeing big increases right now. With a downturn, we also see a decrease in our budgets. And this time the decreases are significant. And it is happening EVERYWHERE.
I'm trying to keep us focused on what we CAN do for our residents and library users. We will work hard to meet the needs in our community even in these difficult times.
Just about a week before that I received an invitation to join a group to SAVE the Los Angeles Public Library - L.A.'s enormous budget shortfall looks like it will result in severe cuts to the Public Library system.
I have also joined a group to support the San Rafael Library in their efforts to pass a parcel tax to support library services.
When the economy takes a downturn, libraries see an increase in use. We are seeing big increases right now. With a downturn, we also see a decrease in our budgets. And this time the decreases are significant. And it is happening EVERYWHERE.
I'm trying to keep us focused on what we CAN do for our residents and library users. We will work hard to meet the needs in our community even in these difficult times.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Libraries and access to the Internet
Here's a good question - Is access to the Internet a fundamental right?
Public Libraries have been grappling with this question ever since our first public access computers were connected out to Internet in the 1990s. Libraries are often the only place in a community where you can get free public internet access.
Here in HB, we have made an organizational commitment to providing online access. We have over 60 public computers with high speed connections that allow you to go online and do what you need to do. We have WiFi access, so if you have a laptop, you can login and have access to all the online resources and tools that you need. We have been working on a strategic plan for the library, and our community focus groups identified public internet access as one of the most important things that we do.
Recently, the BBC conducted a Global poll on Internet accesss. In the poll, they asked individuals if they thought Internet access was a "fundamental right".
The results: 4 in 5 people do see Internet access as a fundamental right.
If Internet access is a fundamental right, how do we protect this right and provide access?
This is the challenge - the European union has come out with a strong internet freedom provision, that states that any measures taken that could limit access to the net "must respect the indivdual rights and freedom of citizens."
In most areas, the only source of free internet access is the public library. With recent budget cuts, how do we maintain access for our community? How can we support and protect the rights of our citizens?
So, the question is - Is Internet access a fundamental right in our modern world?
I'd love to hear what you think.
Public Libraries have been grappling with this question ever since our first public access computers were connected out to Internet in the 1990s. Libraries are often the only place in a community where you can get free public internet access.
Here in HB, we have made an organizational commitment to providing online access. We have over 60 public computers with high speed connections that allow you to go online and do what you need to do. We have WiFi access, so if you have a laptop, you can login and have access to all the online resources and tools that you need. We have been working on a strategic plan for the library, and our community focus groups identified public internet access as one of the most important things that we do.
Recently, the BBC conducted a Global poll on Internet accesss. In the poll, they asked individuals if they thought Internet access was a "fundamental right".
The results: 4 in 5 people do see Internet access as a fundamental right.
If Internet access is a fundamental right, how do we protect this right and provide access?
This is the challenge - the European union has come out with a strong internet freedom provision, that states that any measures taken that could limit access to the net "must respect the indivdual rights and freedom of citizens."
In most areas, the only source of free internet access is the public library. With recent budget cuts, how do we maintain access for our community? How can we support and protect the rights of our citizens?
So, the question is - Is Internet access a fundamental right in our modern world?
I'd love to hear what you think.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Libraries and Business
I have written before about how libraries help their communities by supporting job seekers.
Libraries also help their communities through business development and support. A recent article in the Kiplinger Report highlights how libraries are being transformed and can foster redevelopment and economic growth. See the Kiplinger Report for March 7.
The example cited in the article is the Seattle Public Library - the downtown Seattle Library has played an important role in revitalizing Seattle's Downtown. The Library is an architectural landmark - designed by Rem Koolhass, the structure is a striking glass building that is a buzz with activity. It is a destination for Seattle and has helped draw traffic to the downtown. People come downtown and then they do other things, helping other businesses and generating more activity. Seattle's downtown has benefited significantly from its new library.
Other libraries in other cities all over the world have done similar things - locating libraries in shopping districts, combining the library with other organizations or services and creating multimedia environments that draw people in and serve as community magnets, helping to recharge and revitalize communities, helping the local economy.
Libraries attract people into town, people that visit libraries will also visit other businesses in the area or in the community. Money will be spent. This helps the overall business environment.
Libraries can also serve as entrepreneurial training grounds - local business owners can do research, craft new business ideas, learn about business trends and issues all at the library.
We also offer services that local businesses can use - meeting rooms, video conferencing, databases, etc.
Once again, the Library is a pretty amazing place, isn't it?
Libraries also help their communities through business development and support. A recent article in the Kiplinger Report highlights how libraries are being transformed and can foster redevelopment and economic growth. See the Kiplinger Report for March 7.
The example cited in the article is the Seattle Public Library - the downtown Seattle Library has played an important role in revitalizing Seattle's Downtown. The Library is an architectural landmark - designed by Rem Koolhass, the structure is a striking glass building that is a buzz with activity. It is a destination for Seattle and has helped draw traffic to the downtown. People come downtown and then they do other things, helping other businesses and generating more activity. Seattle's downtown has benefited significantly from its new library.
Other libraries in other cities all over the world have done similar things - locating libraries in shopping districts, combining the library with other organizations or services and creating multimedia environments that draw people in and serve as community magnets, helping to recharge and revitalize communities, helping the local economy.
Libraries attract people into town, people that visit libraries will also visit other businesses in the area or in the community. Money will be spent. This helps the overall business environment.
Libraries can also serve as entrepreneurial training grounds - local business owners can do research, craft new business ideas, learn about business trends and issues all at the library.
We also offer services that local businesses can use - meeting rooms, video conferencing, databases, etc.
Once again, the Library is a pretty amazing place, isn't it?
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Libraries, budgets and hours of service
This past week, the City of Huntington Beach approved recommendations from all city departments for additional budget cuts this year. We found ourselves looking to cut expenditures again, because revenues aren't keeping up with projections.
This wasn't a real surprise and we aren't alone. This is happening all over. I've heard from colleagues throughout California about hiring freezes, budget cuts, reductions in hours and service. We heard similar stories from all over the country, where libraries were facing layoffs, closures and serious overall reductions. And the budget cuts keep coming.
Libraries in general are used to operating with lean budgets - We have done a good job stretching staffing, supplies and all our resources to maintain hours and service. Here in Huntingon Beach, we have done a really good job maximizing the return on investment in staffing, materials and programs.
This time, the revenue shortfall is forcing us to make hard choices. There are no easy decisions when it comes to cutting the budget. Working as a team, our Library managers pulled together a list of recommendations that would balance the reductions throughout our system.
We decided to reduce hours at 3 locations - Central Library will be closed on Sundays. The Sunday closure means a loss of 4 hours of service at Central Library. Helen Murphy, our smallest location will close 2 additional days, for a reduction of 14 hours and the Banning Branch Library will be closed one additional day, for a 9 hour reduction.
I know that these changes will have an impact. Sundays are a popular day and I know that closing will be inconvenient for some. We had to make some tough choices - closing on Sundays allowed us to maintain our others hours at Central Library and minimized our reduction of hours as much as possible. It isn't ideal. But then these are not ideal times.
Budget cuts and reduced hours are difficult for any library, but these changes force us to be creative, to try new approaches to service and to continue providing the City with the best possible library service.
This wasn't a real surprise and we aren't alone. This is happening all over. I've heard from colleagues throughout California about hiring freezes, budget cuts, reductions in hours and service. We heard similar stories from all over the country, where libraries were facing layoffs, closures and serious overall reductions. And the budget cuts keep coming.
Libraries in general are used to operating with lean budgets - We have done a good job stretching staffing, supplies and all our resources to maintain hours and service. Here in Huntingon Beach, we have done a really good job maximizing the return on investment in staffing, materials and programs.
This time, the revenue shortfall is forcing us to make hard choices. There are no easy decisions when it comes to cutting the budget. Working as a team, our Library managers pulled together a list of recommendations that would balance the reductions throughout our system.
We decided to reduce hours at 3 locations - Central Library will be closed on Sundays. The Sunday closure means a loss of 4 hours of service at Central Library. Helen Murphy, our smallest location will close 2 additional days, for a reduction of 14 hours and the Banning Branch Library will be closed one additional day, for a 9 hour reduction.
I know that these changes will have an impact. Sundays are a popular day and I know that closing will be inconvenient for some. We had to make some tough choices - closing on Sundays allowed us to maintain our others hours at Central Library and minimized our reduction of hours as much as possible. It isn't ideal. But then these are not ideal times.
Budget cuts and reduced hours are difficult for any library, but these changes force us to be creative, to try new approaches to service and to continue providing the City with the best possible library service.
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