LISNews Librarian And Information Science News

All city libraries will face cuts in their hours of operation unless a judge reconsiders an order forbidding the closing of 11 branches, Mayor Nutter said yesterday.

Staff members at the libraries that Nutter planned to close this year had already been laid off or transferred when the judge ruled that the branches must stay open. That order is forcing the city to operate with fewer employees and causing the city to bleed money by the day, Nutter said.

An inspirational story for the New Year.

Stirred by Mayor Nutter's proposal to close 11 branch libraries, the opponents came tumbling off the shelves of Philadelphia society - rich, poor, black, white, homeschoolers from the Northeast, young anarchists from West Philly.

With President-elect Barack Obama's campaign as both inspiration and field guide, they organized, demonstrated and sued, then packed the courtroom for hearings and showered the mayor with boos at his own news conference.

Then, astoundingly, they won. More from the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Philadelphia Inquirer - Library advocates on Monday asked a judge to prevent the city from shuttering 11 branches at year's end, closures they contend are illegal and endanger some communities.

"Libraries are no longer just depositories of book and magazines and other media," plaintiffs' attorney Irv Ackelsberg told the court. "(They are) sanctuaries of learning and safety for our children within the streets that hold many dangers for them."

Mayor Michael Nutter plans to close the libraries beginning Thursday to help narrow an estimated $1 billion budget deficit over the next five years.

But Ackelsberg cited a 1988 ordinance that states "no city-owned facility shall be closed" without the approval of City Council. He asked the judge to prohibit the mayor from closing the branches unless council approves.

The San Jose Mercury News posted a story originating from the Daily Sparks Tribune. Sparks is connected to Reno as Henderson is connected to Las Vegas. Reno and Sparks are located in Washoe County while Las Vegas and Henderson are located in Clark County.

The county library director in Washoe County is getting ready to take cuts to the county commission. Current estimates peg the cuts at $846,000. There currently is a hiring freeze with four unfilled positions and public access computers that break down will reportedly not be replaced or repaired.

The Washoe County Library System website can be found at http://libwww.washoecounty.us/.

Julian Shortland posted to the NZ-Libs list in New Zealand about a virtual gift shop he created. Such is geared towards people connected to libraries who want to make charitable donations. The shop can be found by way of TEAR Australia's gift site.

The Las Vegas Sun reports today that residents said goodbye to Green Valley Library. As a result of a boundary realignment control of the facility is shifting from Las Vegas-Clark County Library District to Henderson District Public Library.

While Henderson District Public Library is facing financial worries, the most recent episode of the LISNews Podcast mentioned at the start one step the local friends group is taking to help.

And speaking of Friends of the Library...

A Holiday Home Decoration Fair that replaced the Friends of the Rochester Hills Library's holiday home tour was a big hit.

A silent auction of four-foot trees, wreaths and table centerpieces was held in the library Nov. 27 through Dec. 7. It raised $1,500.

"In previous years we sponsored a popular holiday home tour, but it was becoming more and more difficult to find homeowners willing to open their homes," said library director Christine Lind Hage. "It was also a difficult time of the year to get enough volunteers to staff the event." This year, local businesses and individuals donated the items that were auctioned. Hometown Life reports.

The Norwalk Public Library Foundation has taken a $100,000 hit from the economic downturn. Unlike with other losses stemming from the Wall Street crisis, the library's board of directors hopes to recover the money.

Here’s a letter that Roy Blount Jr., a wonderful author (all football fans should read his Steelers classic About Three Bricks Shy …) and president of the Authors Guild, recently sent to Guild members:

I’ve been talking to booksellers lately who report that times are hard. And local booksellers aren’t known for vast reserves of capital, so a serious dip in sales can be devastating. Booksellers don’t lose enough money, however, to receive congressional attention. A government bailout isn’t in the cards.

We don’t want bookstores to die. Authors need them, and so do neighborhoods. So let’s mount a book-buying splurge. Get your friends together, go to your local bookstore and have a book-buying party. Buy the rest of your Christmas presents, but that’s just for starters. Clear out the mysteries, wrap up the histories, beam up the science fiction! Round up the westerns, go crazy for self-help, say yes to the university press books! Get a load of those coffee-table books, fatten up on slim volumes of verse, and take a chance on romance!

There will be birthdays in the next twelve months; books keep well; more from the NYTimes.

Ann Arbor (MI) District Library Director Josie Parker may have a pleasant Southern accent and good manners, but don't question her toughness.

On Sunday, Parker pursued a thief after he grabbed a collection box of money donated for the library's Family Book Club. In the process, she fractured a tibia and the thief got away - but not with any money. Go Josie!

The incident took place Sunday about 9:35 p.m. at the Borders store in the Arborland shopping area in east Ann Arbor. Parker was volunteering with a gift-wrapping program that benefits the book club. While Parker was wrapping gifts, a man in his 20s approached and stole the donation box, and Parker instinctively went after him.

"He tripped in front of her and she shoved him to keep from falling into him, and twisted her knee trying to recover,'' said Prue Rosenthal, a library board member.

"He went flat down, crushing the box containing the money and then he scrambled up and ran away,'' Rosenthal said in an e-mail account of the incident. MLive story.