Judith,

As admirable as your descriptions of the libraries are, the issue is, where on a rank ordered scale of priorities do they fit in.

Unfortunately funding is a scarce resource and limited. If we choose to keep the branch libraries -- what else goes?

I prefer the main branch in fact I prefer Skokie), but neighborhoods need libraries.

Mark,

In a time of declining city revenue, what are you willing to give up to keep the branches?

Or just raise taxes and fees?

The branches should be closed.

I have heard no council discussion lately re keeping or eliminating the branch libraries.

The branch libraries serve a miniscule amount of our total population. At a time when the city is considering furloughing employees and otherwise reducing services, it is foolish to maintain the branch libraries. If there are underserved residents in those areas, there may be more cost-effective ways to serve them without maintaining separate facilities for them.

I agree - get rid of the branches.

Sorry, I don't agree. The purpose of the library system is to provide reader services, which the branch libraries do. Eliminate the branches and you'll eliminate library users and lower circulation. I for one would never get a chance to go downtown to use the main library, and I'm sure many other people are the same (I use South Branch almost on a weekly basis). If you lower library circulation, we'll probably end up laying off staff anyway, simply because they wouldn't be needed. The library system is not a job-works program.

The only reasonable alternative is to find some middle ground with a combination of reduced services and reduced staffing. Hopefully, this would only be on a temporary basis until the city's revenues come back up.

I've been using the Skokie library a lot over the last couple of years. When I think of the depth of some of their collections, particularly video, Evanston comes in a poor second. I can find numerous videos on almost any subject my kids are studying in school. I salivate over transferring the branch budgets to beefing up collections.

Tom--I am so surprised to hear that you would never make the trip to the main library. I am curious to know why not? It is 1.2 miles away from the South Branch and well served by public transportation. The collection is much larger and more diverse and provides many more events and services.

I too wonder why anyone would go to the South branch and not the main library. Is it just a comfortable place to sit and browse? How often do those users have to get materials transferred from the main library?

I have often thought that the library should partner with the school libraries and the community centers, and allow people to pick up hold materials from other locations. Obviously, it would need coordination and a cost-benefit analysis would be required, but it would provide services beyond the main library and would eliminate the costs of the branches.

MIndy - I like that idea. Getting more people involved in the school and it's building would be great. I'm sure there would tons of problems to work out - like security and mixing collections.

I'll third Mindy's idea. My understanding of the support for the South Branch (which I heard secondhand) is that it's used primarily as a comfortable reading room. While I see the benefit of that, it benefits a minority of users, most of whom could easily use the downtown library for that purpose.

As far as mixing collections, there is already a system in place to address that: we recently discovered that you can return Skokie's materials to Evanston and vice versa.

Michele, et. al.

You can return any North Suburban Library System (NSLS) book to any other NSLS library. And of course, Evanston is part of the CCS (Cooperative Computer Services) consortium of libraries, which essentially means that you have access to the collections of all the member libraries.

There would be no problem mixing school and public library collections because every book has a barcode for that library. It would definitely require more staff time and a dedicated van to travel from one location to another to transport materials. But it is a question of logistics that should at least be discussed in the context of eliminating the branches. EPL can use some out of the box thinking on this kind of stuff. (And isn't that what the City Council asked for - input from the public on budget cuts? Cuts should be discussed with an eye to how to maintain the maximum amount of service with the minimum of cost.)

Edited by author 10-06-2009 11:38 PM
Another thing I like about this idea: People with kids in the schools, who might otherwise not make a trip to the library, would find the local school more convenient & perhaps less intimidating.

After years of attending PTA meetings, there were often discussions about how to get the neighborhood more involved in the school. There are so many things that go on, especially in the grade schools, that could use a little more attendance or volunteering from neighbors. Once folks have been in the building for one thing, it may be easier to stay longer or come back for another.

Especially in the case of Oakton, some more neighborly interaction might help dispel some of the persistent rumors.

   To answer to Mindy and Jeaniemarie question: I use the South Branch because live in South Evanston, I catch the Metra on Main Street, I frequent the coffee shops & restaurants on Main Street and get my newspapers at the Main Street news stand. The South Branch library is, therefore, very convenient for me. If anything, I would like the South Branch to move further south to Main Street and for the city to invest MORE money in the South Branch library.
   Believe it or not, there are people who use the South Branch library for adult reading and not just to get children’s books or videos. I might add that the library is also part of the local economy, supporting local businesses by providing a constant flow of foot traffic and a local gathering place. It’s not just an obligatory city service just to help kids.
   I would like to city to explore ways to move the South Branch library to Main Street by either: 1) Partnering with a local coffee shop in that area and to provide a tax incentive for both the rentor and the coffee shop; or 2) Providing a tax incentive to any developer who provides a space for the South Branch library around the southeast corner of Main and Chicago. I also think the library and its branches should be held to some type of economic development standard, measured by how they work with local businesses in partnering events and enhancing the visits to the area.
    I think Evanston’s Main Street could be as vibrant as Central Street and not only make it easier for South Branch users but also help the local businesses in that area.