We started the morning with 736 signatures, and our pencil tally (subject to human error--"Did I already mark this person or not?") indicates we had 93 Kingstowne Library patrons sign the petition on-site on the laptops provided by Steph and Alana. (Yes, both computers were almost constantly busy.) The total on the site says 827 this evening (so, yes, there was some human error in the pencil tally--that's my fault), but any way you look at it, that's more than a 10% increase in the signatures collected, and all thanks to a few people's efforts.
We're doing this again the next two Saturdays. If other branches do the same, we'll have an even larger increase.
If your branch's Friends isn't soliciting on-the-spot online petition signatures, please contact me for help. Do you need laptops? Do you need volunteers? Maybe we can share resources to help.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
736 Signatures--Wish Us Luck!
It's three minutes before the libraries open on Saturday, January 16. A Friend of Kingstowne Library has set up a laptop and will offer library visitors the chance to sign our online petition on-the-spot. There are 736 signatures on the site as I type this. We think this might be a cost-efficient method of spreading awareness. Wish us luck!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Letter from Delegate Sickles
Today I received a nice letter from Delegate Sickles (below). I am glad to hear steps are being taken, but I would still like to know whether Virginia Code § 42.1-33 (Power of local governments to establish and support libraries) holds an opportunity for additional revenue to support FCPL.
Blanche,
The Library is required, in order to receive state funding, to not charge
fees for reference services, issuance of a library card, or charge to loan a
book/materials.
However, the library is taking some steps to raise some badly needed
funding. It has raised the daily late fee for both children and adults to
30 cents per day, up from 10 cents and 25 cents respectively. They are also
charging patrons $1 to look up a library card (which staff did 400,000 times
last year). They are also charging $20 to proctor a test. Finally, the FCPL
Board is considering charging room rental fees, something that has been done
in the past, but costs staff time to administer. We stopped charging when I
was on the board because of the hassle.
Best,
Mark
Blanche,
The Library is required, in order to receive state funding, to not charge
fees for reference services, issuance of a library card, or charge to loan a
book/materials.
However, the library is taking some steps to raise some badly needed
funding. It has raised the daily late fee for both children and adults to
30 cents per day, up from 10 cents and 25 cents respectively. They are also
charging patrons $1 to look up a library card (which staff did 400,000 times
last year). They are also charging $20 to proctor a test. Finally, the FCPL
Board is considering charging room rental fees, something that has been done
in the past, but costs staff time to administer. We stopped charging when I
was on the board because of the hassle.
Best,
Mark
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Option II
Below are excerpts from the FY 2011 15% Reduction Proposal: Fairfax County Public Library, dated November 17, 2009. The focus of the excerpts is on Option II, which is now the "proposed library budget cut plan." I'd like to paste it here, but I haven't managed to preserve the formatting, so pardon the untidiness, please. If you are uncertain whether your local branch is "regional" or "communty," ask at the library or check the full title of the branch (example: Pohick Regional Library).
Library Hours Proposal: Option 2
Communities open on Friday. Reduced service on weekends.
•
Reduced customer service is provided on Friday and Saturday at community libraries. Customers may browse for books, check-out and return materials, use wireless access and public computers, etc., with limited assistance from staff.
•
Reduced customer service is provided on Sunday at regional libraries. Information desk is closed. Customers may browse for books, check-out and return materials, use wireless access and public computers, etc., with limited assistance from staff.
•
All 14 community libraries are open 47 hours per week; 8 hours per day Monday – Friday, 7 hours on Saturday, closed Sunday.
•
All 8 regional libraries are open 51 hours per week; 8 hours per day Monday – Friday, 7 hours on Saturday, 4 hours on Sunday.
•
Library service is available somewhere in a service area from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday and 1 – 5 p.m.
Sunday at regionals only.
Proposed hours:
Regional Libraries
Monday & Wednesday
1 – 9 p.m.
Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday
1 – 5 p.m.
Community Libraries
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Tuesday and Thursday
1 – 9 p.m.
Saturday
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday
Closed
Impact on the public:
•
Community libraries are open on Fridays with reduced service to customers.
•
Information desk may not be staffed on Friday and Saturday at community libraries.
•
Information desk will not be staffed on Sundays at regional libraries.
•
Programs for youth and adults will not be offered on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
•
Telephone calls from the public will not be answered on Friday or Saturday at community libraries or on Sunday at regional libraries.
•
Equipment troubleshooting will be limited on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
•
Proctoring will not be offered on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
•
No after hours use of meeting rooms is available.
•
Customers will need to learn new hours that vary by type of library.
Impact on staff:
•
Staff may work fewer weekend days.
•
Full-time staff will be required to work two evenings per week until 9 p.m. at regional and community libraries.
•
Staff will be transferred to adjust branch staffing levels to changed hours.
•
Staff workload will increase with fewer people to do the work (assuming usage holds steady).
•
During staffing shortages, the Information Desk will be closed; customers will seek help from other staff not trained to provide information assistance.
FY 2011 15% Reduction proposal for the Library Board Budget Committee meeting on 11/17/09
While it isn't stated directly, this plan also fires more librarians.
Library Hours Proposal: Option 2
Communities open on Friday. Reduced service on weekends.
•
Reduced customer service is provided on Friday and Saturday at community libraries. Customers may browse for books, check-out and return materials, use wireless access and public computers, etc., with limited assistance from staff.
•
Reduced customer service is provided on Sunday at regional libraries. Information desk is closed. Customers may browse for books, check-out and return materials, use wireless access and public computers, etc., with limited assistance from staff.
•
All 14 community libraries are open 47 hours per week; 8 hours per day Monday – Friday, 7 hours on Saturday, closed Sunday.
•
All 8 regional libraries are open 51 hours per week; 8 hours per day Monday – Friday, 7 hours on Saturday, 4 hours on Sunday.
•
Library service is available somewhere in a service area from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday and 1 – 5 p.m.
Sunday at regionals only.
Proposed hours:
Regional Libraries
Monday & Wednesday
1 – 9 p.m.
Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday
1 – 5 p.m.
Community Libraries
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Tuesday and Thursday
1 – 9 p.m.
Saturday
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday
Closed
Impact on the public:
•
Community libraries are open on Fridays with reduced service to customers.
•
Information desk may not be staffed on Friday and Saturday at community libraries.
•
Information desk will not be staffed on Sundays at regional libraries.
•
Programs for youth and adults will not be offered on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
•
Telephone calls from the public will not be answered on Friday or Saturday at community libraries or on Sunday at regional libraries.
•
Equipment troubleshooting will be limited on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
•
Proctoring will not be offered on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
•
No after hours use of meeting rooms is available.
•
Customers will need to learn new hours that vary by type of library.
Impact on staff:
•
Staff may work fewer weekend days.
•
Full-time staff will be required to work two evenings per week until 9 p.m. at regional and community libraries.
•
Staff will be transferred to adjust branch staffing levels to changed hours.
•
Staff workload will increase with fewer people to do the work (assuming usage holds steady).
•
During staffing shortages, the Information Desk will be closed; customers will seek help from other staff not trained to provide information assistance.
FY 2011 15% Reduction proposal for the Library Board Budget Committee meeting on 11/17/09
While it isn't stated directly, this plan also fires more librarians.
The Card to Supervisor McKay
Below is the text of the card sent to Supervisor McKay's office with some of the photos mentioned in a previous post:
Dear Supervisor McKay,
We know we're not as vital as the police and fire departments. And we're not as large or vocal as the school system. honestly, we don't want to fight with other county agencies for limited funding.
But we do want to remind you of the importance of our programs, resources, and staff. Here is a photo from this month's early-readers program, Gingerbread Tales, with over 25 children enjoying librarian-read stories. A volunteer hovers nearby--she will do the same early-readers program at local schools.
We hope alternative revenue sources will be found for the county. And if not, we hope a deeper look will be taken of non-agency arts of the budget and parts where contracts can be renegotiated--especially for items not impacting services provided.
Thank you,
The Friends of Kingstowne Library
Dear Supervisor McKay,
We know we're not as vital as the police and fire departments. And we're not as large or vocal as the school system. honestly, we don't want to fight with other county agencies for limited funding.
But we do want to remind you of the importance of our programs, resources, and staff. Here is a photo from this month's early-readers program, Gingerbread Tales, with over 25 children enjoying librarian-read stories. A volunteer hovers nearby--she will do the same early-readers program at local schools.
We hope alternative revenue sources will be found for the county. And if not, we hope a deeper look will be taken of non-agency arts of the budget and parts where contracts can be renegotiated--especially for items not impacting services provided.
Thank you,
The Friends of Kingstowne Library
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Low-Income Families' Program Cut to Saturdays Only
Did you know VITA offers free income tax preparation to families in northern Virginia with less than $49,000 in income? The program has grown over several years, expanding locations, recruiting more volunteers. A few years ago, I interviewed the VITA team at the Kingstowne Library and the area supervisor for an article on the program. At that time, they helped low-income families two evenings during the workweek and Saturdays. They told me they had a constant flow, often people waiting up to an hour--and I witnessed it.
According to the volunteer FAQs, free tax preparation services at Fairfax County Public Library sites will only be offered Saturdays for a few hours. No evening hours on weekdays. That's terrible news. After all, adults in families making less than $49,000 don't always have Saturdays available. When I worked retail, I almost never had a Saturday off.
Why aren't the public libraries used for evening sessions, too, like they were in previous years? Is it because we have fewer local families that fit the "$49,000 or less" income bracket? Is it that nobody attended evening sessions in previous years? I suspect the change is simple: Now that the libraries close at 8 P.M. (and will close earlier next fiscal year, under Option II), many volunteers and families in need won't have time to conduct a proper tax preparation in the allotted time.
In other words: When there are fewer library hours, there are fewer services provided at the libraries.
Last year, 488 volunteers helped 3,280 low-income, working families file their taxes for free and made certain eligible families took the Earned Income Tax Credit and other refunds. The refunds totaled $4.4 million. Will the program be as successful, without weekday evening hours? Sadly, probably not.
(For more information on how you can volunteer for this program or receive assistance from this program, visit http://nvacash.org/vita/?pagename=Volunteers.)
According to the volunteer FAQs, free tax preparation services at Fairfax County Public Library sites will only be offered Saturdays for a few hours. No evening hours on weekdays. That's terrible news. After all, adults in families making less than $49,000 don't always have Saturdays available. When I worked retail, I almost never had a Saturday off.
Why aren't the public libraries used for evening sessions, too, like they were in previous years? Is it because we have fewer local families that fit the "$49,000 or less" income bracket? Is it that nobody attended evening sessions in previous years? I suspect the change is simple: Now that the libraries close at 8 P.M. (and will close earlier next fiscal year, under Option II), many volunteers and families in need won't have time to conduct a proper tax preparation in the allotted time.
In other words: When there are fewer library hours, there are fewer services provided at the libraries.
Last year, 488 volunteers helped 3,280 low-income, working families file their taxes for free and made certain eligible families took the Earned Income Tax Credit and other refunds. The refunds totaled $4.4 million. Will the program be as successful, without weekday evening hours? Sadly, probably not.
(For more information on how you can volunteer for this program or receive assistance from this program, visit http://nvacash.org/vita/?pagename=Volunteers.)
Friday, December 18, 2009
Any Lawyers Reading This?
I am not a lawyer, nor am I familiar with the Virginia Code or the Dillon Rule.
But I would love to hear from someone who is!
I've been trying to find additional revenue opportunities for Fairfax County, to help with the budget shortfall. I thought I found something interesting in the Virginia Code, but I am not certain how things written in the Code work--do counties still need to get permission from the state, or can they act on what is written in the Code?
Here's the section I found interesting (cut and pasted from the Code with quotation marks added by me):
Virginia Code § 42.1-33. Power of local governments to establish and support libraries.
“The governing body of any city, county or town shall have the power to establish a free public library for the use and benefit of its residents. The governing body shall provide sufficient support for the operation of the library by levying a tax therefor, either by special levy or as a fund of the general levy of the city, county or town. The word "support" as used in this chapter shall include but is not limited to, purchase of land for library buildings, purchase or erection of buildings for library purposes, purchase of library books, materials and equipment, compensation of library personnel, and all maintenance expenses for library property and equipment. Funds appropriated or contributed for public library purposes shall constitute a separate fund and shall not be used for any but public library purposes.”
Does this mean Fairfax County can establish a special tax and dedicate the funds to the library system? If so, a 1/4 of 1% sales tax should more than cover the Fairfax County Public Library system, and that money could be shifted to the county's other budget needs.
I'm not sure what to think of the Code wording and whether this is a revenue opportunity or not. I'd appreciate hearing from someone who does know. I've asked this question a few places and heard varying responses--none very solid. I'm waiting to hear from one of our local officials' offices; they are looking into it.
But I would love to hear from someone who is!
I've been trying to find additional revenue opportunities for Fairfax County, to help with the budget shortfall. I thought I found something interesting in the Virginia Code, but I am not certain how things written in the Code work--do counties still need to get permission from the state, or can they act on what is written in the Code?
Here's the section I found interesting (cut and pasted from the Code with quotation marks added by me):
Virginia Code § 42.1-33. Power of local governments to establish and support libraries.
“The governing body of any city, county or town shall have the power to establish a free public library for the use and benefit of its residents. The governing body shall provide sufficient support for the operation of the library by levying a tax therefor, either by special levy or as a fund of the general levy of the city, county or town. The word "support" as used in this chapter shall include but is not limited to, purchase of land for library buildings, purchase or erection of buildings for library purposes, purchase of library books, materials and equipment, compensation of library personnel, and all maintenance expenses for library property and equipment. Funds appropriated or contributed for public library purposes shall constitute a separate fund and shall not be used for any but public library purposes.”
Does this mean Fairfax County can establish a special tax and dedicate the funds to the library system? If so, a 1/4 of 1% sales tax should more than cover the Fairfax County Public Library system, and that money could be shifted to the county's other budget needs.
I'm not sure what to think of the Code wording and whether this is a revenue opportunity or not. I'd appreciate hearing from someone who does know. I've asked this question a few places and heard varying responses--none very solid. I'm waiting to hear from one of our local officials' offices; they are looking into it.
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