One vote counts
I need to offer a clarification to your roundup of library ballot measures in 2011 (Beth Dempsey, “Voters Keep the Doors Open,” LJ 3/15/12, p. 64–68). The story was correct in that Ohio’s Ada Public Library’s request for an operating levy in November 2011 did fail, but your percentages (49 percent for, 51 percent against) were not accurate. In fact, we did not get “beat” at all; we tied. The final tally was 844 votes for the levy, and 844 against. Unfortunately, the bar for passage is a majority.
The good news is that we used that fact to encourage voter turnout this March and passed our levy 768–562. While it did work out in the end, that one vote we did not get in November led to cuts in service hours as well as employee paychecks in 2012. One hopes levy revenue in 2013 will allow us to get back to where we were by early next year.
Whenever anyone asks me now about campaigns, I always start by stressing the importance of voter turnout. I encourage you to think of Ada and that one vote the next time you are in a campaign.
—Michael Limer, Dir., Ada P.L., OH
Useful library hours
More and more, my local public library is open only on days and at times when I can’t get there (Michael Kelley, “The New Normal,” LJ 1/12, p. 37–40). Of the five days a week it is open, two days are totally impossible, two are barely possible if I rush, and only one is good.
It is still open on Saturday, thank heavens, but that nearly got taken away this year. It is closed Sunday. Otherwise, it is open two days a week from 1–8 p.m. and two days from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Great! I work long days, often till 7 p.m. I can rush and get there on the bus just before closing. The 9-5 days, forget it. I don’t understand why we cannot have more useful open hours, when people aren’t all at work. Sundays were great, even half-days. I’d rather have given up Monday or Tuesday than Sunday. But it’s gone, probably never to return. It’s depressing.
—Name withheld upon request
Not “model” behavior
When the children are allowed to race the aisles, scream, or cry incessantly, and grade-schoolers fight loudly over computers or social issues in the hometown library, then the stage becomes set for education in library behaviors (Steven Bell, “Here Come the Rules Police,” From the Bell Tower, ow.ly/8WSwP). Library programming for kids has become noisy and may certainly be educational, but staff do not educate nor do they model the former quiet/respectful behaviors of past decades. The hometown library, perhaps, was the last model of how children should comport themselves in public.
—Name withheld upon request
A driving force
Michael Kelley and Francine Fialkoff’s “End of an Era at OCLC: Q&A with Jay Jordan” (LJ 5/1/12, p. 18–20) is a great article about a true visionary of our time and industry. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Jay Jordan for 30-plus years. Whether you agree with all of his viewpoints, his leadership has been a driving force behind OCLC’s innovation, and his has been a major voice for the advancement of libraries and knowledge institutions.
—Danny Overstreet, Academic Sales Mgr., Knovel Corp., Athens, GA
Some want member
I’ve noticed that many patrons come into the library asking, “How do I become a member of the library?” (Aaron Schmidt, “Membership Has Its Benefits,” The User Experience, LJ 4/1/12, p. 22). So there are people already using the term member [with regard to] their use. Membership doesn’t necessarily mean it has to cost anything extra for the individual if the library is a public library or nonsubscription library….
On a related note, I always thought it would be nice and helpful if libraries created and gave you a “What your library card can do for you” brochure or handout when you signed up for a library card. It would note some of the services, programs, and resources that the library offers….
—Name withheld upon request
Totally energized
Having just read your “Movers & Shakers 2012” feature (LJ 3/15/12, p. 23–68), I am totally energized! These librarians and information specialists are doing such exciting things in their libraries, they should be an inspiration to all of us. I want to applaud them for bringing new life into our profession and showing that innovation and traditional library service are alive and well in our libraries.
—Linda Kamin, Branch Lib. Mgr., Tamarac Branch Lib., FL
Mystery solved
In Kristi Chadwick’s Mystery preview “Crime Travels” (LJ 4/15/12), we incorrectly noted the new Lars Kepler title as The Executioner. The correct name of his upcoming book is The Nightmare (Farrar, Jul.).
Lead the Change is a library leadership seminar that brings together library thought leaders to show participants how today's top libraries are leading change and transforming their communities. Attendees are lead through a series of exercises to help bridge 
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