Even though I’m a strong supporter of libraries, I’ve been very conflicted about this referendum. In fact, I wrote up a whole post on why you should vote “no,” but in the process I changed my mind.
Since I do a lot of research at the Peoria Public Library, I know how good our library system is, how knowledgeable the librarians are, and how much in need of updating some of the facilities are. But voters are being asked to approve giving the library $35 million so it can put this plan into effect. That plan is a mixed bag, which is why it was hard for me to come down on one side or the other.
On the positive side, I like the fact that it deals with the whole system — it’s a balanced approach to improving library service. The north side doesn’t get a new branch at the expense of the south side. All service areas get enhanced and expanded (south, central, and north). Even though the small South Side branch would be closed, the Lincoln Branch would be greatly expanded. I like that the downtown branch will remain the flagship to serve the whole Peoria area.
Nevertheless, I have a couple of reservations about the plan:
- I appreciate that they are trying to keep personnel costs down — it’s good to be conscientious about the biggest library expense: staff. But I think they’re testing our common sense when they say, “A new, revitalized Main Street Branch will be able to offer better service with a smaller staff.” I highly doubt that. I understand the premise that having an open floor plan will require fewer staff to monitor each floor. But I fail to see how reducing staff and giving the remaining librarians more responsibility is going to make them either more efficient or able to provide better service.
- Another reservation I have is the size of the north branch. I don’t see how they can justify the 35,000 square feet they’re proposing. A more modestly-sized branch that could be expanded in the future would be more reasonable. This would also bring down the $35 million pricetag.
Actually, there’s one other thing that bothers me, and that’s a matter of priorities. Libraries are fundamentally important, and I consider them an essential service for the city. But not all essential services are created equal. Police and fire protection are more important than libraries. By and large, the same council people who are enthusiastically endorsing this tax increase for libraries are the same council people who wouldn’t even consider a tax increase to fully staff fire station 11 or add more police. It was their fear of raising property taxes that resulted in the dreaded “garbage fee” being instituted. If the council is now willing to raise taxes, then their first priority should be to see that our fire stations and police force are adequately staffed and funded. Then they can provide funding for the library.
That said, the library is worthy of the funding, which is why I’m endorsing this referendum.
You’d have to be an idiot or wealthy to vote yes on this referendum for a variety of reasons not the least of which is the price tag.
NO
Every morning I take my daily walk with my Ipod and walk by my old box of CD’s and LP’s in the garage. Given what has happened to Music; if you can tell me what a book will look like in 20 years then I will believe you know how to spend $35 million correctly on a building to store books.
If you don’t know what books will become then don’t spend the money!
Books are hardly dead.
They say nothing ever goes away on the internet but that really isn’t true. I remember websites from the earliest days of the web (Mosaic Alpha Days), that are long since gone. No archive. Nothing of them exists today. For all the redundancy that does exist on the web, it still has no really good means of archiving information that will last. Nothing about the current data age has the longevity of a book. Not yet anyways.
All the vast amounts of information that exist today online will be gone in 10 years or less. That represents a gaping hole in archival information for historians and researchers to draw upon.
As a present tense communication tool, electronic media is outstanding. As repository for humanity’s knowledge it is piss poor.
I vote yes.
We must consider completely how libraries serve the community. They serve as excellent depositories for our areas history/documents, etc. I hate to harp, but the current museum plan does not include anything that lends itself towards the preservation of our material culture and written sources. Without Bradley library [and Peo Public Lib], what will happen to these resources? Also, if I am not mistaken, Peo Museum has no plans for a real research library. Bummer.
Oh, puh-lease, Scott. That downtown monstrocity isn’t a MUSEUM. It’s a high-toned roadside gift store.
Libraries are very important, including books. Kids need to read books. But property taxes are way too high already. Raising them is irresponsible. Vote No.
Bill: Burl and Joy would enjoy it if they came to Peoria….
CJ: I will agree to disagree with you on this issue. I am voting NO.
I do like that the referendum is being brought to the citizens to decide.
Libraries are essential to our community.
A library on the far northside would be great. More library personnel would be another welcome addition. I feel that some changes could be made at a much lower dollar amount.
I would like to see a plan that is flushed out. The plan is too vague, and the price tag too high, $35 million on the heels of 14 years of boondoggle projects since I have lived in Peoria — Riverplex, ball stadium, Gateway Buildng, restaurants on stilts, zoo expansions, civic center expansion, museum and whatever other ‘build it they will come project’ that I have not included.
If you were to give any entity a check for $35 million (for which there is no business plan as one would have in the private sector) — any entity would be able to find a way to expend those funds. And what if we have overruns? How will those be funded?
It seems to be the Riverplex revisited.
I think that this project is just too vague, vast and the timing is not right on the heels of all these other tax supported projects and I would rather $35 million be spent for infrastructure or police/crime efforts.
And, isn’t the $35 million really $35 million plus interest so that the actual price tag will be more in the range of $70 million once the bond debt is retired? Just asking ….
How much more can our property taxes be raised?
For a more indepth analysis of the library issue, please refer to the articles at
http://widmer-peoria-watch.blogspot.com/
Karrie, I did read Merle’s comments on the library referendum, and I share many of his and your concerns. I guess my thinking is that this is a non-binding referendum and the money will ultimately have to be approved by the City Council. The council should demand a detailed business plan and hold the board accountable for every dollar spent. I’m not in favor of the council giving the library board a blank check, but I don’t believe that would happen if the referendum passes.
I agree with CJ – this referendum is a step in the right direction. Vote it down now, and you won’t see this again for years.
It’s non-binding. The council – and all of us in the blogosphere – will be watching. Vague is okay in that it can also allow you to reduce costs and shift in a more efficient, less expensive direction.
vOTING NO IS NOT LIKE YOU WILL BE CLOSING THE LIBRARIES. THEY WILL ALL STILL BE THERE READY TO ACDCEPT SELF CHECK OUT MACHINES THAT WORK. TODAY’S JS SAID THE NEWLY REMODELED SOUTH SIDE LIBRARY CLOSES WHETHER THE REF. PASSES OR NOT. THE LIBRARY SAYS THIS BRANCH IS “UNDERUTILIZED AND TOO SMALL”.
I STAND BY EVERYTHING I POSTED ON MY BLOG SITE. I LIVE ON THE NORTHSIDE AND HAVE NO PROBLEM DRIVING TO LAKEVIEW. ALSO PEORIA HIGHTS IS ‘UNDERUTIIZLIZED’ AND OPEN TO ALL CARD HOLDERS FROM ANY LIBRARY.
DID YOU NOTE THAT TONY FROM THE JS CORRECTED PAM ADAMS ERROR FROM SUNDAY’S PAPER?
I believe the library board was deliberately not designing a series of plans until the voters decided that they wanted to spend the money. I understand it’s a catch 22, no plans to see then people aren’t comfortable voting on the funding, but then spending a great deal of money on detailed plans for something the voters might not want is also a problem. I tend to think that money spent on libraries, arts, etc. have value to the community. Maybe not to you personally, but I tend to read every night from books, not the computer. It is an interest in reading that sparked my education and a desire to know more. Now it is a way to releave stress. There are a lot of children that come from disadvantaged families. More and more if you read the stats for Peoria. There is a decreased value on education with more and more families. Getting children interested in reading and learning that there is more to life than what they are being taught…or in most instances what they are not being taught, is important to our community. I also realize that our property tax increase is going to be minimal as values here are in the gutter, but we are willing to pay our small part for an increase in something that will hopefully benefit the community. Programming within the libraries will need to be a key factor in their success. I would guess they need some volunteers..another short commodity in this community. Working with children, reading to children and watching the wonder in their faces in truly a gift from God in some of the war torn sections of town. Sometimes a libary book is the only escape in some of these homes. Kids in my area utilize the McClure branch. An upgrade in the technology will benefit them greatly. It’s not a money maker and there is no way to guage who it reaches and who it doesn’t in the long run, but worthwhile none the less.
Already voted NO. I’m sick and tired of listening to “we need to open Fire Station 11” but now we will raise taxes for a library?!? I’m not against libraries; they are great. I hate to sort of compare libraries to fire houses but I’m sick of getting nickeled and dimed to death and not having the adequate fire protection we need. Vote NO!
Kara — Just to reiterate, I think fire & police protection should come first before libraries. While I think they’re both important, reopening fire station 11 is without a doubt more important.
The people concerned about Fire Station 11 are obsessesed about how many minutes it takes for a response. Is this why people are moving to Dunlap where there is a volunteer fire department which takes 45 minutes to respond? Having a 6 minute or whatever response time vs, an 8 minute response time for 5 fire calls a year doesn’t justfy extreme expenses. Most fire department calls are to supplement ambulances not for fires. AMT does a fine job by itself in that regard.
We have adequate fire protection (infinitely better than Peoria Heights or Dunlap). We have the one of the best financed fire departments in the state. Some want it gold plated, I think it if fine as is.
45 Min. to repond in Dunlap? I think not.
Better than Peoria Height or Dunlap? Reserch before you make statements. Each department paid and or vol are held to the same standards on training,equipment ect. as for response times, even peoria might be strained to respond at certan times in some parts of the city..
Well Laura, I hope you neither have a house fire or your child is choking on something. I’ll bet your comments would change.
Look at the housing stock in the 2nd district vs. the 5th. The frames are wood, the houses are much older, the lots much smaller. My neighbor’s house catches fire, ours wouldn’t burn because we have some space with an little extra lot, but the next four houses north would burn and quickly because the eaves nearly touch. In the newer subdivisions, there is a lot of space between houses. Secondly we only have one fully equipped firestation between the two stations. I also believe that there will need to be another station, perhaps two built out in/near the new growth cells to get the response time down.
It’s a matter of perspective. I am glad you are so willing to gamble with our lives. We greatly appreciate you generousity.
Paul-
As a fellow 2nd District resident, very well put. Thank you.
Kara