Comments on: DiFi and Pat Leahy, Silencing the Librarians http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/ Fri, 15 Jul 2011 20:48:32 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: greenharper http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193269 greenharper Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:14:12 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193269 <p>Sort of OT. The largest public library in our town of Amherst, MA, has had to shut down on Friday afternoons this fiscal year due to budget cuts. To reopen on Friday afternoons from now through next June would take around $10,000. </p> <p>A library-loving resident gave a $3,000 challenge grant to prod the library trustees into raising money to reopen. The owner of an Irish pub (Harpo at The Harp in Amherst) offered to throw a benefit barbecue today to raise the matching $3,000. </p> <p>Also this weekend, another library patron put up an anonymous $1,000 challenge grant. By the end of the barbecue today, library patrons had exceeded both challenges by enough to reopen on Friday afternoons through next June. </p> <p>The public’s support for the public libraries is really heartening. Guys from Alpha Tau Gamma fraternity at the Stockbridge School (agriculture), UMass Amherst, set up the huge tent and constructed the stage. Three bands pitched in for the entertainment. The head of the Stockbridge School and a member of the Amherst Select Board tended the grill all afternoon. </p> <p>Now if we could just raise more than $70,000 to make up what we had to cut out of the FY 2010 acquisitions budget…. </p> <p>I’d hate to think that librarians have become targets for their defense of civil liberties in the face of the so-called PATRIOT Act. But how could anyone at this point rule it out?</p> <p>Thanks for the heads up on this dastardly proposed legislation. I’m disappointed in Leahy, of all people.</p> Sort of OT. The largest public library in our town of Amherst, MA, has had to shut down on Friday afternoons this fiscal year due to budget cuts. To reopen on Friday afternoons from now through next June would take around $10,000.

A library-loving resident gave a $3,000 challenge grant to prod the library trustees into raising money to reopen. The owner of an Irish pub (Harpo at The Harp in Amherst) offered to throw a benefit barbecue today to raise the matching $3,000.

Also this weekend, another library patron put up an anonymous $1,000 challenge grant. By the end of the barbecue today, library patrons had exceeded both challenges by enough to reopen on Friday afternoons through next June.

The public’s support for the public libraries is really heartening. Guys from Alpha Tau Gamma fraternity at the Stockbridge School (agriculture), UMass Amherst, set up the huge tent and constructed the stage. Three bands pitched in for the entertainment. The head of the Stockbridge School and a member of the Amherst Select Board tended the grill all afternoon.

Now if we could just raise more than $70,000 to make up what we had to cut out of the FY 2010 acquisitions budget….

I’d hate to think that librarians have become targets for their defense of civil liberties in the face of the so-called PATRIOT Act. But how could anyone at this point rule it out?

Thanks for the heads up on this dastardly proposed legislation. I’m disappointed in Leahy, of all people.

]]> By: Leen http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193186 Leen Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:28:09 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193186 <p>At the NN09 conference I was talking with some privileged 30/40 somethings and they were having a hard time considering what I was sharing with them that over 50% of the kids and families in Appalachia do not have computers at home or access to computers on a daily basis. </p> <p>They were perplexed</p> At the NN09 conference I was talking with some privileged 30/40 somethings and they were having a hard time considering what I was sharing with them that over 50% of the kids and families in Appalachia do not have computers at home or access to computers on a daily basis.

They were perplexed

]]> By: Palli http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193132 Palli Sat, 03 Oct 2009 23:53:14 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193132 <p>Bet some people don’t know that government business like Unemployment Compensation is exclusively conducted on-line now. In Ohio, weekly registration for benefits has to occur on Sunday before the new workweek begins and the last one is over.<br /> Libraries are the only free computers in most towns. Cut back on library funds for open hours and computer acquisition, staff and IT expenses and you have disadvantaged not just the kid who doesn’t have a home computer for homework but the parents too.</p> Bet some people don’t know that government business like Unemployment Compensation is exclusively conducted on-line now. In Ohio, weekly registration for benefits has to occur on Sunday before the new workweek begins and the last one is over.
Libraries are the only free computers in most towns. Cut back on library funds for open hours and computer acquisition, staff and IT expenses and you have disadvantaged not just the kid who doesn’t have a home computer for homework but the parents too.

]]> By: Leen http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193118 Leen Sat, 03 Oct 2009 21:44:21 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193118 <p>I often ask the International students here at Ohio University what they admire about the U.S. and what they consider our weaknesses. Let them know that they can criticize as much as they like or are comfortable with. That I will not be offended, (kind of obvious if they know me)</p> <p>Almost every student I talk with brings up our library system and what a treasure it is. They all want the same library system in their home countries.</p> <p>the other day I was at a library in Dayton Ohio that had a sign out front that said it had to cut back its hours due to funding cuts. Really pathetic. </p> <p>Kept thinking how the library system should be targeting the Wall Street fat cats asking them for donations to keep normal library hours</p> I often ask the International students here at Ohio University what they admire about the U.S. and what they consider our weaknesses. Let them know that they can criticize as much as they like or are comfortable with. That I will not be offended, (kind of obvious if they know me)

Almost every student I talk with brings up our library system and what a treasure it is. They all want the same library system in their home countries.

the other day I was at a library in Dayton Ohio that had a sign out front that said it had to cut back its hours due to funding cuts. Really pathetic.

Kept thinking how the library system should be targeting the Wall Street fat cats asking them for donations to keep normal library hours

]]> By: freepatriot http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193117 freepatriot Sat, 03 Oct 2009 21:43:23 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193117 <p>liberries is teh source of all socialism</p> <p>look at y’all, discussin books n stuff on saturday, during the high holy football season</p> <p>what will we tell teh chilruns</p> <p>(ducking & running)</p> <p><em>If ya got “overdue” fees at the library, you don’t really have to worry about it, do I ???</em></p> liberries is teh source of all socialism

look at y’all, discussin books n stuff on saturday, during the high holy football season

what will we tell teh chilruns

(ducking & running)

If ya got “overdue” fees at the library, you don’t really have to worry about it, do I ???

]]> By: ChuckinDenton http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193115 ChuckinDenton Sat, 03 Oct 2009 21:33:51 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193115 <p>Thanks EW. As a librarian, I have particular interest in this. </p> <p>Naturally, I’m biased in favor of the expansion of libraries and their services but as we all know, in budgetary crisis, “soft” targets such as Libraries and Parks get cut first.</p> <p>What is evident is the conservative desire to more and more outsource the running of public entities to private industry. Now, we can see with the economic crash, where publicly-owned companies would fare. Which will fare better in the end: public or private? Hard to say.</p> <p>I’m for true public ownership for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is truly non-biased, non-partisan access to information. </p> <p>Sad days for libraries but I can tell you from first hand experience that <em>especially</em> during these times, the information illiterate need us more than ever. We teach folks *how* to fish, rather than giving them fish. Isn’t that an ideal example of how liberal social programs/institutions are supposed to work?</p> Thanks EW. As a librarian, I have particular interest in this.

Naturally, I’m biased in favor of the expansion of libraries and their services but as we all know, in budgetary crisis, “soft” targets such as Libraries and Parks get cut first.

What is evident is the conservative desire to more and more outsource the running of public entities to private industry. Now, we can see with the economic crash, where publicly-owned companies would fare. Which will fare better in the end: public or private? Hard to say.

I’m for true public ownership for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is truly non-biased, non-partisan access to information.

Sad days for libraries but I can tell you from first hand experience that especially during these times, the information illiterate need us more than ever. We teach folks *how* to fish, rather than giving them fish. Isn’t that an ideal example of how liberal social programs/institutions are supposed to work?

]]> By: fatster http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193113 fatster Sat, 03 Oct 2009 21:27:34 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193113 <p>O/T. Dead Peasant insurance. Finally, a Congress member is <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2009/10/03/gutierrez-dead-peasants/" rel="nofollow">introducing legislation </a>to stop this crooked, corrupt racket.</p> O/T. Dead Peasant insurance. Finally, a Congress member is introducing legislation to stop this crooked, corrupt racket.

]]> By: earlofhuntingdon http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193112 earlofhuntingdon Sat, 03 Oct 2009 21:01:51 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193112 <p>Libraries also helped keep social reforms peaceful rather than revolutionary. </p> <p>In Washington, as in Rome, the ignorant mob is more malleable - for those willing to use the hammer to forge them. Liberals, they want to individuate the “mob” into moms and dads; husbands, brothers, sons and lovers; women, girls, wives and mates, each with their own hopes, dreams and destinies.</p> Libraries also helped keep social reforms peaceful rather than revolutionary.

In Washington, as in Rome, the ignorant mob is more malleable – for those willing to use the hammer to forge them. Liberals, they want to individuate the “mob” into moms and dads; husbands, brothers, sons and lovers; women, girls, wives and mates, each with their own hopes, dreams and destinies.

]]> By: bobschacht http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193111 bobschacht Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:54:28 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193111 <p>Hey, TexBetsy!<br /> Good to cross paths with you once again.</p> <p>Bob in AZ</p> <p>PS I’m a few thousand miles closer to you now…</p> Hey, TexBetsy!
Good to cross paths with you once again.

Bob in AZ

PS I’m a few thousand miles closer to you now…

]]> By: Mymy http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193109 Mymy Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:40:38 +0000 http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/10/03/difi-and-pat-leahy-silencing-the-librarians/#comment-193109 <p>This whole charade is disturbing, and Durbin was right to call them on it. But this morning I realized the shock of seeing a front page photo of men reading books on the SF Chronicle. Who sees that any more? Of course, they were prisoners… The assault on reading, narrative, the humanities is pervasive and pernicious, and this ‘don’t read anything in the Library, the Government is watching you’ sign (because that’s what it means) is just one more part of this revolting pattern. Fahrenheit 451 indeed.</p> This whole charade is disturbing, and Durbin was right to call them on it. But this morning I realized the shock of seeing a front page photo of men reading books on the SF Chronicle. Who sees that any more? Of course, they were prisoners… The assault on reading, narrative, the humanities is pervasive and pernicious, and this ‘don’t read anything in the Library, the Government is watching you’ sign (because that’s what it means) is just one more part of this revolting pattern. Fahrenheit 451 indeed.

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