Happy Holidays from the CCC Library...

Just Kidding! Its good to know that with students on winter vacation they had a safe and educational place to go with all of their off-time. I get that times are tough but people need to start looking at the closing of libraries the same way they would look at the closing of hospitals or schools. It would be nice if the library system would do more extensive fund raising efforts beyond the book sale here and there which I can't image makes a whole lot of money.

If you would like to donate please visit this web site:

http://ccclib.org/donations/donate_library.html

From a CCC Library Press Release:

"Contra Costa County Library Holiday Schedule and Closures

Due to County budget cuts and holidays, all Contra Costa County Library locations will be closed from Wednesday, December 23 through Sunday, December 27 and from Thursday, December 31 through Sunday, January 3.

Due dates for all items will be extended so that no materials will need to be returned between Saturday, December 19 and Monday, January 4. During the closure, all book drops will be closed.

The Contra Costa County Library website (ccclib.org) will remain open during the closures so that customers can continue to access online services such as downloadable audiobooks, eBooks, and electronic articles and will be able to place holds.

“The County Board of Supervisors approved six furlough days for 2009/10 for county employees in order to offset the budget shortfall”, said Anne Cain, County Librarian. “With two of these dates occurring in late December, the result is an extended closure during this timeframe.” To lessen the inconvenience for library customers, no books will be due and no fines will be imposed between December 19 and January 4.

All locations will reopen with regular hours on Monday, January 4. Due to the extended closure, longer periods of processing time are anticipated that may affect the length of time it takes to check items in and to fill holds. Consult the library locations and hours page for further information about your local community library.

The Contra Costa County Library serves residents countywide with 25 locations, 3 Library-a-Go-Go book dispensers, and online library services available 24/7 at ccclib.org. Last year almost 4 million people visited the Contra Costa County community libraries and checked out over 6 million items."
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Additionally:

- Carol, the children's librarian, is moving to San Ramon for a 40 hour position starting January 4. She will not be replaced. Instead, substitutes will be used.

- story times will be dramatically reduced in 2010.

Happy New Year!

Interview With The Mayor!?!?!

Three weeks after requesting an interview with Pleasant Hill Mayor Michael Harris he has accepted! I initially requested the interview to discuss the library budget issues and am now very excited to get some answers and clarification on this very big local issue!

I also want to involve the voice of the readers of this blog. If you have a question you would like me to ask please let me know. I promise I will make sure to ask him (within reason).

We are currently in the process of scheduling the interview. I will keep you posted!

Paid In Full

Today I am free! Free of my $4.00 debt to the library! For years this debt has weighed heavily on my soul and conscious. I used to cringe when the self-checkout machines were out of order for I knew if I had to check out from a librarian I would be reminded of this shame and I would have to tell this struggling library that I was sorry, I would pay them back at a later time. But that time has come! After fighting on behalf of the library to keep their funding from the city I decided to stop being a hypocrite and do something about it!

1 dollar for a DVD of Pollack that I used for the Art History class I taught two years ago...PAID

1 dollar for a VHS (that's right VHS) of Bird that I have no recollection of ever seeing or renting...PAID

2 dollars for a DVD of The Green Mile which I have checked out twice and still have yet to ever see...PAID

At the city council meeting several weeks ago they mentioned that the library would need $286,000 to keep normal staffing and business hours for next year. Today that number is now only $285,996!

*See older posting about the library's funding issues at:

http://pleasanthillbookclub.blogspot.com/2009/07/library-cuts.html

and

http://pleasanthillbookclub.blogspot.com/2009/07/awful-truth.html