Comments on: Privatized Libraries: Not so Bad for Everyone

By: Michael

Michael — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 02:24:50 +0000

Regardless of the exact structure of LSSI ran libraries (quasi-public, private, etc.), outsourcing certain services or the entire library itself sets a bad precedent.

I love public libraries because they are pretty much the last institution whose mission it is to disseminate all information, not just profitable information. Although the LSSI relationship with public libraries seems to be a win for both the public and the corporation, the fact that corporations are legally bound to increase the wealth of their shareholders is a concern and is counter to the goal of public libraries.

Where could this lead?

By: Joneser

Joneser — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 18:43:52 +0000

I totally agree with you on that. I’m “nationally known” (according to others) and I teach a class at the local library school, based on a lot of research and practical knowledge and experience. Do you think I get listened to at my day job, where they could get it for free?

The answer to that would be “no”.

By: Jean Costello

Jean Costello — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:13:41 +0000

Joneser – When I replied, I was thinking of the truism (at least in my experience) that consultants tell you for a price what your employees tell you for free. So … input on how to make the situation in question more tenable or how to deliver better service, etc might have been accepted from an LSSI operations manager whereas the same input would have been ignored from “Overworked” and her/his colleagues.

Sounds too like Overworked’s library is collateral damage in a political scrimmage, in which case no reasonable input would matter anyway.

By: Joneser

Joneser — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:51:35 +0000

Jean, it still depends on where LSSI fits into the funding organization. The above example gives the impression that the problem was “The City” and the break means that the Library will be more in control without all of those extra layers. Would LSSI have been able to deal with “The City” in a more effective way?

By: Elisa

Elisa — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:13:45 +0000

I believe there was a session about this at ALA Annual last year. One of the featured speakers was a woman who led her community opposition’s to LSSI coming to their public library and won.

By: Jean Costello

Jean Costello — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:54:17 +0000

I heartily agree about the idea of centralizing where it makes sense and bolstering local autonomy and authenticity where it is so vitally important. That's the idea behind my cornerstone proposal for a "National Library Corporation", similar to NPR and PBS.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:44:17 +0000

I’m a librarian elsewhere – I have family in the Palm Springs area. Since I left the area, I don’t use the libraries very frequently. I know that my mom and her relatives are much happier with library service now.

Many library facilities were expanded and hours extended. There are more bilingual (Spanish/English) staff members, and more programs for Spanish-speaking patrons. Lots more computers. It looks like a lot more books (although I use a small branch when I’m out there, and it’s one of the branches that got a new building – so that may be partially due to the increase in space).

As a librarian, I love all the parts of my job – but the system I work in isn’t super efficient. It would make a lot more sense to have certain functions – PR, collection development, grantwriting – done centrally by professionals in those areas, rather than scattered randomly among whichever librarians enjoy doing those things. LSSI seems to have figured some of this out.

By: Jean Costello

Jean Costello — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:16:42 +0000

Overworked – organizations tend to shackle their suppliers less than their employees, and I wonder how much of the wasteful noise you describe would go away if LSSI were brought in to manage operations in your library system.

By: Overworked Librarian

Overworked Librarian — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:35:07 +0000

I am on the fence about this. There is much upset at my library due mostly to ‘bureaucratic nonsense’. The worst of it for librarians here is that we are overworked, underpaid and our concerns and issues ignored. The politicians in the city and on the library board spend most of the public’s money on strategic planning on an imaginary facility in the always distant future. Librarians have to make do with virtually non-existent budget for collection development and no monies for programming. All of this has been before an official break from the city. Once the official impending break from ‘The City’ the board and their consultants will have a more direct and unsupervised access to the money. For these specific people I am working under… I think it’s horrible. It probably doesn’t actually relate to ‘privatization’… the monies are still public funds from a millage. There is an egregious misuse of funds going on… which will probably only worsen.

By: Pepe Lemieux

Pepe Lemieux — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 03:07:47 +0000

Then you all must be oh so pleased by this bill passed last year by Congress:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/04/01/962273/-New-Budget-addresses-Library-Privatization-