Becker wrote:
>Mr. Barisonzi wrote:
>
>>all I am saying is that neither the amount raised by the MPS or FMPL are
>>
>enough to justify the >statement "a strong history of fundraising and
>grantwriting"
>
>I think the library does a great job of fundraising given they are a
>governmental entity primarily supported by taxes. Raising money for
>governmental functions is very hard as most people feel like they have
>already given through their taxes.
>
You'll have to show me something concrete I have to disagree that the
library does a good job. I do agree that it's a public institution and
should be tax supported. That, in itself, proves the point. MPL has been
ineffective in lobbying the legislature for funds. They have not made
their case that it's the 21st century, the age of information, and what
we have traditionally given libraries is inadequate to the task. This
calls for lobbying the state, educating the public to the situation, and
making coalitions with libraries throughout the state.
You can see, by the amounts of money given to the state's various
library systems, that very few libraries have been successful at that
and Minneapolis was not one of the successful ones. The amount bonded
for the library, $140 million, $30 mil of which is allocated for
community libraries, is not enough to put together this combined
project. The library was not, in my estimation, very forthcoming when it
asked for the bond. Ergo, the need to raise more moola--much more than
the money now allocated for the bricks and mortar.
People surveyed by the library wanted increased hours. Hosmer, Franklin,
and Sumner (at a minimum) need to be open 4 nights a week, all day
Saturday, and Sunday afternoon. These three community libraries have a
concentration of immigrants and a big role to play in helping them
educate themselves. They want to educate themselves, they use the
library continuously. Additional hours, additional staff, additional
utilities, additional materials and god only knows what else. As well,
the groups traditionally served by the library have higher expectations
of the library than they formerly had. It all costs money and there is
money in this state to be put to that usage.
Also, this stuff should have been in place (lobbyist, grant office) long
before MPL brought a bonding issue to the public. Once the bond issue
passed last November, the library should be over at the state every week
talking to legislators, educating them.
WizardMarks, Central
>
>
>
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