An advocate speaks out

You might remember me telling you I'd checked out This Book is Overdue: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All. Marilyn Johnson, the author, expresses her opinion on the cutbacks in the Queensborough library system in this video. According to Terry Balliard, of LISNews:

If the plan goes through, many branches would be closed outright or kept open less than half of the week. More than 400 library employees, some in the system since 2000, have been given layoff notices, effective in mid-August. Johnson learned first-hand how bad things were when she spoke to Queens Library employees on May 25. Later that day, a rally was held at City Hall, during which the police kept hundreds of library supporters waiting on the sidewalk, and let them in five at a time.

This sort of thing is happening all around the country. Ironically, in trying oeconomic times libraries (and librarians) are needed more than ever, but cities and counties do not seem to think of that when trying to find ways to trim budgets. Instead, they see libraries as an easy mark. Who would miss books, after all? Yes, libraries are about books, but they are about so much more. I wish more executives and councils realised that.

Thanks, Ms Johnson, for your support. Now, how about the rest of us? What can we do to save our libraries?