Rod Krueger on the Library Board replies:
Here are my reactions to some of your statements.
1. Hopefully, if your elected and I'm re-elected, we will be able to work together to expand hours at Washburn on Sundays.
2. It is not my understanding that the Library Board or staff wanted to tear down historic Linden Hills library. Certainly, not while I have been serving on the Library Board.
3. The library staff gave an option in the 2010 plan to combine Nokomis with Roosevelt as it also had the same type of option with Southeast & Northeast, to create a much larger combined facility with more services, but this was just an option among others. It was the Library Board that decided to remove these options, we said no.
4. I agree, the repairs at Washburn did take more time that it should have, there were delays due to several reasons including a labor strike (work stoppage), legal issues, and insurance settlement.
5. As already planned, Roosevelt and Sumner will be handicap accessible when the buildings are renovated. The Library Board has always supported these efforts.
6. I supported adding Saturday hours at Franklin, extended evening hours at East Lake, and also advocated for Sunday hours. Minneapolis was the only library system in the Twin Cities metro area, and one of the few major library systems in the country that did not have Sunday hours. I worked hard to help expand hours at all of our libraries, working with staff and other board members to get enough support.
7. Yes, I do support efforts to have one of our libraries to be named in honor Gratia Countryman.
8. As far as "Change is Overdue", Minneapolis will see a new library board (at least 3, if not more new board members ), hopefully we will have a library board than can work together and make progress on all of these important issues.
Sheldon - keep up the good work, I know that both of us care a great deal about our community libraries, and share the goal to provide the best possible library services for all of Minneapolis.
Rod Krueger
Candidate for Re-Election to the Minneapolis Library Board
----Original Message Follows---- From: Sheldon Mains <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [Mpls] Strib opinion piece on community libraries Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2001 23:52:27 -0600 >Strib's Lori Sturdevant makes a plea to pay attention to library board >elections >http://www.startribune.com/stories/1519/765215.html > This op-ed piece was right on. The Gratia Countryman* Society's concerns regarding the community libraries are exactly what I'm hearing from the people I talk to. For every one question or comment I get about the new downtown library, I ten people want to talk about their community library. Some people love their library and rave about their librarian or the programs. Some want to know when they can get library staff who will at least smile. Many want more hours. Most are thrilled that the current board has added Saturday hours at Franklin (about time!) and Sunday hours at four (Why wasn't Sunday hours added at Washburn--they were added at the other "Regional" libraries?). Concerns I've heard: Library staff wanted to tear down Linden Hills. It was saved only because the neighborhood stopped the plans. Library staff wanted to combine Nokomis with Roosevelt and close one of them. That was stopped by the neighborhood. Library staff wanted to close Southeast and merge it with NE. Stopped by the neighborhood. It took almost a year to fix the hole in the outside wall at Washburn that was covered by plywood. Roosevelt and Sumner STILL are not handicap accessible. Library plant maintenance management complains that librarians say yes too often and have too many people using the libraries (this isn't a fire safety issue). Franklin is one of the busiest libraries but just got Saturday hours. Does this sound like an administration that values community libraries? *Gratia Countryman was head librarian for Minneapolis from 1904 to 1936. She was the longest serving head librarian and wanted to get books to everyone in the city. At one point, she served as the librarian at the old East Lake Library (now Northern Sun Merchandising). I'd like to see the East Lake Library re-named the Gratia Countryman Library. sheldon >.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.>.> sheldon mains seward neighborhood minneapolis [EMAIL PROTECTED] Candidate for Minneapolis Library Board of Trustees DFL/Labor endorsed Change is overdue http://www.mainsforlibrary.org _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mplsGet your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
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