The research function of MPL has been around for dog years, though I don't know when it began. It's more than 60 years in the making. What the research function does is provide books, documents, and other materials for those who are doing research. It's one difference between Hennepin County and MPL. HCL is a popular library.Mark Anderson: What is this research function that MPL has? And why don't other libraries have the same function? As I've said before, I think MPL has taken on too many functions. They should be providing books for the residents in Mpls, period.
Fortunately, the librarians at MPL are smarter than to think they can "just provide books period."
You may not have been watching, but information for research comes on CDs and videos as well. For example: the Civil War, Napoleon, the Story of English are all research materials on video. Shakespeare's plays on video. History of American music has research materials on CD: work songs, gospel songs, folk music, classical stuff. MPL also has sheet music. MPL has a concert grand piano and a rainmaker, they may have other instruments as well.
Mark Anderson:WM: Some of what you're saying reflects your lack of knowledge about libraries. Yes, you can get a smattering of information on the web, and it will take long hours to amass anything truly meaningful. The library has this material, but it's reference material for librarians, since it's rare that anyone would ask about how libraries are funded. Librarians are members of the Public Library Association and the ALA. Thus they can get information that you would have to pay something like $80 a study to access. So, I repeat, you have to go to the library to access this information.
I've never been to debate school, but I never heard of a strategy of making
general assertions, and then pointing to a bunch of web sites, stating that
these sites back up the assertions.
Here are some examples that I can access when the library is closed. One of the states that supports libraries well is Ohio. In Cleveland, Cincinnati-Hamilton County, and Washington-Centerville the state puts in $58.12/capita. From all sources, state, local and other, Cleveland expends $101.50/capita. Out of the 9,074 public libraries in the US of A Cleveland has 247 peers. Boston's overall per capita investment is $74.68 with the state's per capita at $13.78. Twenty-five peers.
New York City invests $67.95/capita/yr. with $7.32 from the state. Ninety-two peers (until you consider the size of the populations. Manhattan alone has over 4 million capitas.).
In Mpls. we spend $65.25 overall per capita of which the state produces $1.55. We have 621 peers.
At the absolute bottom of the spectrum, Phoenix, AZ spends a whopping $20.03/capita, of which the state ponies up with $0.02. Phoenix's peer is Richmond, VA. However, having only one peer skewers the numbers.
Albany ($40.97, $2.35 by the state), New York and Trenton ($40.45, $1.46 state), New Jersey are peers, they don't invest much in libraries. Albany has 397 peers.
Next, you have to compare for whole other sets of variables--investment in children's library tools and materials, investment in research materials, patron visits/annum, how the structure is set up legally, how much is spent/capita on collection, how many branches and "outlets" (have very wobbly outlines, them outlets), internet stations. It goes on forever.
Without all the documentation laid out before you, these numbers do not give you much information.
I stand by my statements:
the state of Minnesota does not nurture libraries very well, yea, verily, they are parsimonious in the extreme, and
MPL could be a much more useful library if the state were really interested in supporting an educated populace, and
you have to go to the library to look at the information.
WizardMarks, Central
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