Dr. Vinny wrote:
Instead of addressing the subject I broached yesterday about hiring high school students to work in libraries to save money, Ms. Wittstock decided to turn the issue around to whether or not we ought to protect unions.WM: Your suggestion has everything to do with unions. You are suggesting that the library break its contracts with the unions by hiring teenagers for union jobs. Whether you agree with unions or not, the library has union contracts to honor. It's kinda smarmy to ask that a teenager's first job be that of a scab.
WM: People who work in public service jobs are not servants, they are people who perform a public service. Heaven forfend that a librarian get paid for his or her skills, particularly if that pay exceeds mine (I do not have those skills).because they will force people to pay taxes to shell out salaries to public "servants" that are greater than their own salaries.
WM: It is unfair to pit the kids against the librarians, who may not "land on their feet," there being only so many library positions in the metro area. They, too, have children to feed.That being said, I feel somewhat sorry for the people who are laid off from the library, but I feel sorrier for the kids who aren't learning anything. The library staff are more or less skilled workers and will probably land on their feet.
WM: A case can be made for every library in the system. Citizens made those cases before the board. The library complied and kept libraries open with fewer hours. However, it's a very painful choice. Every library has a mad scramble every day to keep up with patron needs with fewer hands to work. Books don't get shelved as quickly. At the end of the day when they blink the lights for closing, the staff look like they've been put through the wringer--they have. The blame does go to the Pawlenty administration and to those legislators who are unable to understand and support the need for libraries.You know, according to the Library Book, http://mplwebcat.mpls.lib.mn.us/search/tthe+library+book/tlibrary+book/1,10,11,B/frameset&FF=tlibrary+book+centennial+history+of+the+minneapolis+public+library&1,1, the Webber branch is one of the oldest locations in town, and has served the area for about a century. ...and the bigwigs want to shutter it. GREAT!
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