Comments on: Missing Mayors and Freeholders in our Libraries

By: Elisa

Elisa — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:54:56 +0000

Off hand, once last year, for an ethnic heritage month program. (My library has been a past host venue for this program) Other times, the Mayor will say a few words and do a photo op at a special event at a neighborhood branch.
On occasion, a city council member will visit for a special event, usually hosted by an outside organization.

By: Dave Ewick

Dave Ewick — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:47:38 +0000

Our library is a department of the city, and I’m proud to say that our Mayor is very aware of what we do. She even mentioned how the library is assisting the unemployed, and is busier than ever in these lean years, as part of her State of the City address.

We host our local State Representative’s monthly coffee klatch with constituents, and we’ve had visits from our Congressmen as well as local elected officials and even our Governor.

Our City Council is actively aware of us, and very proud because we have one of the best libraries in Southeast Michigan!

By: Lynn

Lynn — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:24:35 +0000

Our mayor is on our board (as is a member of council). He is frequently in the library. That said, public libraries are independent of municipal government in Canada so it’s less about city government and more about the board itself. And all of our board members are very involved and knowledgeable.

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:54:31 +0000

My mayor came to join me for a storytime a few years ago. He called me the class’s teacher more than once, despite me writing a 2 pg brief for him about the library before his visit.

By: Stephanie Willen Brown / CogSciLibrarian

Stephanie Willen Brown / CogSciLibrarian — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:11:04 +0000

Great topic!

I’ve taught my LIS students to do one-on-one marketing/promotion with agency / corporation heads, mayors, etc. re: what the library can do for them *personally*. Do they have kids? Remind them about storytime, and/or great books for kids. Do they like to read? Tout any book delivery / Interlibrary Loan service the library offers. I strongly believe that going above & beyond our traditionally fabulous service for non-librarian managers & organization leaders is really important for continued funding & support.

I’m grateful that my (non-librarian) boss is a big library supporter, but I also work hard to contact her with services/materials I think *she’d* especially like.

By: Marty Vaughn

Marty Vaughn — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:21:16 +0000

Our public libraries are limping along with deminished budgets while the city fathers and the county administrators fight over who owes what money to the combined city-county public library. The library itself has cut hours, budgets, staff, and purchasing. They now charge $2.00 to read the latest best sellers! They are desperate to raise some revenue. The city actually paid a chunk of money to 2 consultants to evaluate the physical plants of all the branches and operations; plans were made and STILL nothing is being done! Our mayor and the city council are so inept and unaware of what the public really wants it frightening! Our kids and the public are the ones who suffer.

By: Mariann Storck

Mariann Storck — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:16:39 +0000

For those in non-public type libraries, the question would be, “How often do you see the head of your agency, corporation, etc in the library?” My focus this year is how to get them and other non-patrons in. Does anyone have suggestions other than the usual food and a program? I’m looking for revolutionary ideas because the tried and true does not work with the “Everything is online so I don’t need a librarian” crowd.

By: Claire Houghton-Kiel

Claire Houghton-Kiel — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:41:13 +0000

Last night on My9 news, they had a story about lead paint peeling from the Orange Public Library. The My9 crews brought their undercover video to the Mayor of Orange, who THANKED THEM FOR BRINGING IT TO HIS ATTENTION! Now, if the mayor had EVER been in the library, he would certainly have know about the paint peeling. Even more intriguing, according to the reporter he had the Board of Health send a letter to the library threatening to close the building down if the situation was not rectified within two weeks. It was almost as if he had no idea that the Public Library ran on public funds…I had to watch it three times just to make sure I wasn’t imagining his attitude/statement/demeanor. It made me quite glad that I live in a community where the mayor is a regular at the library.

By: Jeff Scott

Jeff Scott — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:30:17 +0000

Well, at my last library I had experience with two different mayors. I tried to get both of them involved in three projects; Mayor’s Reading Club (volunteers go to schools and read to kids), library card sign-up month, and creating a READ poster for the library.

The first mayor didn’t even participate in his own reading club, showed up for a photo-op on the library card sign-up and never posed for the Read picture. (the one time he read to kids, he didn’t show them any of the pictures.)

The second mayor was actively involved with MRC, encouraged City Hall Office staff to participate and other councilmen, was actively involved in library card sign-up, and posed for a READ poster that hung in our library.

We never increased our budget with the first mayor, but the second mayor increased our budget, added, staff, supported our library branch project. Left that library with a 16,000 sq ft branch, 14 more staff, and 50% budget increase in just two years.