A second way libraries cooperate, and this is what matters to a library
user, is that we share our resources (books, journals, information) very
openly with one another. All the libraries in Whitman and Latah Counties,
whether they be academic, school or public, make their collections available
to anyone living in the area. We even share a shuttle service that operates
between the two counties. And as computers make information retrieval
easier, we will be exploring ways of building our collections in ways that
avoid duplication and offer even more for the $6.00 to our patrons.
My great fear is that the 1% Initiative will cut so deeply into the budgets
of academic and public libraries (school libraries will also feel the pinch)
that resource sharing will grind to a slow halt, because libraries won't be
able to afford lending their materials out. For example, the UI Library's
budget would be slashed so horrendously that the focus would have to shift
to only meeting the needs of UI students and faculty, with no guarantee that
this could be accomplished. In all probability nothing would be left over
for those of us who love the idea of those millions of tomes at our
fingertips. The picture for the public library is equally bleak.
I like your idea of an information matrix and am convinced that as we move
deeper and deeper into the "age of endless information possibilities" new
paradigms for information delivery will emerge. But we're not there yet,
and people still prefer bringing their children to the library for those
wonderful books and for the opportunity to have a fun outing.
Thanks for listening to me on my soapbox. Lori
the alternative (a heavy use-fee) isn't right either. I'd prefer public
>access-as-needed for library services, not unlike it is now, although there
>does seem to be a moderaly heavy beurocratic (sp?) burden centered around
>boise.
>
>It would be nice to have the university library systems more integrated into
>the community ones. For example, if all the community had cards at the
>uofi library, and the county lib staff were housed in the same facilities, then
>there would be a pretty reasonable cost savings? Seems like, as they are
>both state institutions, there would be ways to do it. As well, all of the
>school districts also have libraries and librarians. Couldn't those as well
>be integrated? It would be more of a matrix information system rather than
>a vertically integrated one.....
>
>johnt
>
>================================================================
>>>>>> "Matt" == Matt Kitterman <matt@elder.csrv.uidaho.edu> writes:
>
> > On 16 Oct 96 at 8:47, Steve Cooke wrote: Laird (?) wrote:
>
> >> > Egad! Knowledge is NOT "free" at the library... In 1995
> >> Idaho > property taxpayers happily paid $5,787,799.00 for
> >> so-called "free" > knowledge.
>
> > Egad! indeed! That's almost $6 per person--just over a penny
> > and a half a day each!
>
> > (That's a pretty good bargain in my book--quit yer moanin'.)
>
> > matt 46.722438 N -117.005599 W
>
>
Lori Keenan
110 S. Jefferson Street
Moscow, ID 83843
tel: (208)882-3923
fax: (208) 882-5098
e-mail: lkeenan@norby.latah.lib.id.us
KNOWLEDGE IS FREE AT THE LIBRARY. JUST BRING YOUR OWN CONTAINER.