[Mpls] RE: Library

[Mike Nelson]

WizardMarks wrote: However, since the temporary building is more vertical than horizontal, it will definitely cost more in staff wages to run it.   MN: There are fewer employees at Central Library Marquette than were at the old place. Some have been transferred to branch libraries, others have quit, retired, etc. and have not been replaced. Probably won't be, unless the powers that be succeed in getting volunteers. Recently I have seen brochures in the library asking for volunteers to help with things such as "shelf reading,cataloging,filing", and who knows what else they'll do, and how many jobs will be cut if they get their foot in the door, but that's another can of worms.  We are open fewer hours. Height or width hasn't made any difference, except those who move things around have farther to travel now. None of this adds up to more staff wages, unless we start getting reimbursed for mileage.    Carol Becker wrote:  The new library will make the vast majority of books accessible to library users, freeing the staff that had been shuffling books around in non-pubic areas to serve patrons.  MN: Actually, the staff that had been shuffling books around in the stacks at the old library has been very busy at the interim site keeping open shelf areas in order, putting closed stacks in order (the movers shuffled the books like a deck of cards),and shuffling around. More books accessable to the public will mean more books out of order. I'm not complaining, it's just a fact of life at a library. Staff will be busy keeping up with it. I don't see any of that staff being freed up to help patrons. That's what the Aides and Librarians do.   Mike Nelson Central Neighborhood & Central Library