Save Our Libraries!

[jje1000]

The surplus was left from the previus budget year - it doesn't mean the following year will have the same surplus.

Ie: You have $150 in the bank on Jan 1, but it doesn't mean it will be there Dec 31 - especially if you know your rent is going up by $25 a month, not to mention you have to start paying for the furniture that you got 15 months ago that was "no payments till 2011!"

You either have to move to a cheaper place, stop eating out as much, or get a 2nd job. You could always mooch off your parents, but they're hard up for cash now too, having re-mortgaged their home twice and canceling their vacations this year. You could ask your boss for a raise, but times are tough and he said no last time, so that's not something to hope for.

You could put any extra expenses on your credit card too, but that's what you've been doing and at this point your minimum monthly payments aren't paying down the principal at all.

What to do?

Ask your boss to cut your wage, give a few hundred bucks to your police officer friend to shut him up, lose your down payment by cancelling a deal you had made on some things you had already ordered online, and then try to sell your fridge and bed?

 

[Bogtrotter]

You do also realize that Toronto has the highest child poverty rates in the province, right? And that 1 in 4 people and 1 in 5 famiilies in the city live in poverty? And that these numbers consist particularly of newcomers to the city, racialized groups, Aboriginal people, single-mother families and residents with disabilities? Oh and then there's the increasing number of not just seniors, but seniors who are slipping into poverty themselves (over 1 in 5). These are all people who can't afford tablets or Kindles and they won't be catching up anytime soon if trends over the last 20 years (as in, the poor are getting poorer) continue. Also, let's say they can afford a Kindle or whatever, the TPL loans e-books.

The idea that technology will eventually prevail only leaves those who can't afford it or can't use it in the dust. Is that the type of society we want? Certainly not.

Oh and PS. I'm a recent Masters Grad too, and found the TPL system to be an invaluable resource for my degree, particularly since as a student I couldn't (and still can't) afford a cell phone, never mind something like an e-reader.

Well said. Libraries are a lifeline for those that are more vulnerable in our city or any community really. Not everyone can afford e-readers or even the internet access that many of us take for granted. Our local library provides some equity for these people when it comes to access to information both in print and online. As a physical space they are also community centres and gathering places for workshops for children, adults, the elderly and new Canadians. In other words they provide services, educational opportunities, and community focal points for things other than shelves of books.

The e-reader is terrific tool that provides greater access and makes information more readily available, libraries are already adapting it to their programs and adjusting collections and staffing accordingly. But the extent to which readers will replace their physical books with e-readers is still very much unknown. But again, libraries are already making adjustments for this and the consumer/patron will ultimately decide. It is very premature to be shutting down library branches and cutting hours based on this argument.

 

[Marko]

Ask your boss to cut your wage, give a few hundred bucks to your police officer friend to shut him up, lose your down payment by cancelling a deal you had made on some things you had already ordered online, and then try to sell your fridge and bed?

A more accurate comparison would be... ask your landlord for a break on the rent (reduce largest expense by reducing staff), buying an alarm system but then canceling the monitoring service (adding police, then reducing), losing the deposit on putting laminate in 3 rooms and instead putting hardwood in the kitchen (shifting transit priorities) and then considering selling the new fridge and stove for cash now, which would allow you to pay down your credit cards and continue paying them off through the bank as you have been.

These are the kind of decisions many homeowners make all the time as circumstances around them change. Just because you decide to cut back on how many movies you go to see, it doesn't mean that the movie industry suddenly disappears. They're still there, but some of the old and underused theatres will probably get closed up.

Priorities have to change with the times. Just like a lot of smaller schools get absorbed into bigger ones, certain library locations *may* make sense to consolidate with others. If they decide to reduce 5 library locations and relocate their assets to 5 other libraries that can be helped to better service their visitors, is it really the end of the world?

 

[ttk77]

Since everybody won't be able to make it to the council meetings (work schedule, etc...), anyone who cares about the library closures should buy up copies of Margaret Atwood books, new or used, and send them along with a note indicating your displeasure to the brothers Ford both at work and at home.

 

[canmark]

Toronto Star article on people who actually use the library Doug Ford is so keen to close.

“My blood is boiling,” said Beverly Pringle, a resident of the ward since 1984.

“As you can see, (the library) is really rather important to me,” she said, using her cane to tap a teetering stack of books on tape she was picking up for two sight-impaired friends.

Pringle noted that while Ford is right that the library is hidden behind a large Shoppers Drug Mart, that doesn't mean it's underutilized.

The area draws busloads of seniors like her, she said, who use the drugstore and then go around back to borrow books.

She also noted that the neighbourhood's diversity — 60 per cent of residents are visible minorities, according to census data — makes the location particularly vital.

“It's attended by a very ethnic mix. These kids are learning to love English stories at a very, very early age,” she said.
* * *
Brian Koops was laid off two years ago and had to move from an expensive apartment near the lake to public housing in this neighbourhood.

He doesn't have the Internet at home. He just finished a course to upgrade his skills, and now he uses the library's computers to look for work, among other things.

“People don't use it for whatever, they use it because they need to,” Koops said.

 

[Justin10000]

If they decide to reduce 5 library locations and relocate their assets to 5 other libraries that can be helped to better service their visitors, is it really the end of the world?

What if there is no room to accomodate the relocated assets and extra patronage? It seems a lot of the smaller branches were created to alleviate this issue. Take Palmerston and Spadina for instance. Someone would comment why there are 2 banches so close together. I am an avid library user, and I have been to both branches. Both branches are really small. If one of the branches are closed, that will leave the other branch to handle the extra traffic, and there is no way either branch would be able to handle a closure. Another example is the Davenport branch. It's a small branch for sure, but it does have a lot patrons using the internet, and attending the kids programs. If that branch closes, the patrons would be forced to go to Wychwood, and Dufferin/St. Clair, both which are heavily used anyways! It's not as easy as you claim it to be. Personally Ford is foolish to take on this battle. I know they are good at messaging, but it seems even his allies are against this move.

You guys are trying to make it sound so simple to close a branch and consolidate assets, when it's not so easy.

 

[Irishmonk]

Since everybody won't be able to make it to the council meetings (work schedule, etc...), anyone who cares about the library closures should buy up copies of Margaret Atwood books, new or used, and send them along with a note indicating your displeasure to the brothers Ford both at work and at home.

That's an idea I've thought about. I don't know if I can make it to the meeting either but I want to send the message that not only is Atwood a published writer of many, many books but has probably made more money and paid more taxes to Toronto than Mayor and Sidekick can imagine. Thing is, what to do with these books? How does one send books to city hall?

Also, does anyone know if you have to be at these meetings before they begin or is it possible to show up late?

 

[Marko]

It's not as easy as you claim it to be. Personally Ford is foolish to take on this battle. I know they are good at messaging, but it seems even his allies are against this move.

You guys are trying to make it sound so simple to close a branch and consolidate assets, when it's not so easy.

I never intended to claim it was easy - actually I think the whole process would prove to be quite difficult. The easy thing is what most other politicians would do and avoid the issue altogether, not ruffling feathers. Whether you like the guy or not, he's at least willing to discuss things that are difficult or unpopular, even if it never goes beyond the discussion stage. All levels and all branches of Toronto's municipal service are very actively talking - something that shouldn't have required a cattle prong up the behind to instigate.

 

[PinkLucy]

I think the issue is that he is NOT willing to discuss. He makes pronouncements and says "this will happen" or "this will not happen", but he doesn't discuss. He says he's just doing what the taxpayers want, yet when the taxpayers disagree with him, he ignores them.

 

[ShonTron]

Karen Stintz, Chair of the TTC and centre-right councillor has come out against closing any library branches (as well as against Blue Night route cuts or daycare spots), and for opening the curtains on the budget agenda. She claims that she's listening to her constituents.

Ford seems to be losing some of the centre-right, pragmatic councillors (Pasternak also claims to be against library cuts). I'm hoping Ford & Ford will be left with only their most loyal allies (the Del Grandes, Nunziatas, Mammolitis) within the next few months.

 

[Dan416]

Karen Stintz, Chair of the TTC and centre-right councillor has come out against closing any library branches (as well as against Blue Night route cuts or daycare spots), and for opening the curtains on the budget agenda. She claims that she's listening to her constituents.

Ford seems to be losing some of the centre-right, pragmatic councillors (Pasternak also claims to be against library cuts). I'm hoping Ford & Ford will be left with only their most loyal allies (the Del Grandes, Nunziatas, Mammolitis) within the next few months.

I hope you're right! Is there any way to *depose* a mayor and make one of the other councillors mayor?

 

[GraphicMatt]

No, and we have no mechanism for impeachment or recall either. Unless Ford is convicted of a crime or is found to have willfully overspent on his mayoral campaign, he will be mayor until at least 2014.

That said, he'd have very little power if he lost the support of a majority of councillors. All he could do at that point would be pick committee chairs and identify high priority items at council meetings.

 

[Lansdown]

people shouldnt be going tothis meeting anyway. they should find jobs instead of complaining about losing their hand-outs. "they are entitled to their entitlements" and have nothing better to do then bug city officials at their jobs

 

[PinkLucy]

So can employed people go?

 

[tkip]

Out of curiosity, with today's digital world and now everything being assessed at your fingertips through all our new gadgets, exactly how many people are actually using libraries now?