Downtown Detroit Skillman Library Closing??

[detroithealth]

Does anyone have any info on this? I walked to drop off a book yesterday and noticed the sign on the door. I couldn't find any info on the Detroit Public Library website. I spoke to Malik Goodwin at the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation and he knew nothing about it.

How can this be reversed? Am I reading the sign wrong? Please tell me it's just closed ON the 9th.

ps. I'm new to DetroitYES!

[BrushStart]

Is there a private endowment to keep this branch open completely unrelated to funding from DPL or the city at large? Perhaps the sign merely means that that branch will be closed on the day of July 9, 2011. Let's hope!

[detroithealth]

Yes, let's hope!

[MikeM]

Probably is closing:

http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...f-its-branches

[detroithealth]

This is honestly infuriating. It's time to stage a coup at the library.

[jackie5275]

That's really sad. I've only been in a few times, but thought it was awesome. My kid used to go there every week while he was in Kidspace downtown. He really enjoyed going there & was always excited for the summer reading program.

[detroithealth]

I know! I recently moved to downtown Detroit and have enjoyed walking to this library over the past month. With the renovations at The David Whitney Building and the Broderick Tower, more downtown dwellers are going to expect a library. It's a city. The main library is spectacular in its own right, but I LOVE being able to walk when it's nice and hop the people mover when it's raining. It's been packed every time I visit.
A boarded up library isn't going to look so slick next to the Compuware building.

[BrushStart]

A few months ago, DPL said it was closing 18 branches and laying off 70 people. Then, they realized they screwed up their accounting and retracted everything they previously said, i.e. nothing was getting closed. Now, I can't even get their website to work, so who the heck the knows.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...-closing-plan#

[detroithealth]

I can't get it to work either.

$20 says if they had a fully-functioning and user-friendly website [[designed sometime after 1997) at least half of their issues would go away. That, and some proper communication with their patrons before they board up libraries left and right. Some of us can fundraise,

[Vox]

I'd say that an elected library board would be better, but it wouldn't be any better.

If there was a way to privatize the libraries as non-profits without the encumbrances of the city, AND keep funding maybe so. A dedicated millage by library district would ensure the Skillman and Main be funded relative to the taxable value of the property downtown.

[WaCoTS]

so what happens to the NAHC...?

[Downtown Dave]

Are you SURE this sign just isn't an advisory about a closing for that day? It doesn't say WILL CLOSE PERMANENTLY.

I'm hoping you asked personnel inside the library. I'd like to think they would have better answers than the speculation and assumptions posted here.

[Carey]

The Skillman branch is just closing Saturday, July 9, though it might close on other Saturdays until Labor Day. It is NOT closing permanently. That sign doesn't really say it is closing permanently.

It's amazing how much information you can find out when you pick up a phone and call someone.

[JBMcB]

Are you SURE this sign just isn't an advisory about a closing for that day? It doesn't say WILL CLOSE PERMANENTLY.

"Branch will be closing" means the branch is closing forever. "Branch will be closed" means it's closing for a period of time.

Seriously, government IT is a joke. Give Squarespace $500 a year, hire an independent web designer to whip up a site - total cost shouldn't be more than a few thousand dollars. $500 a year is probably what the electricity and maintenance costs of a web app stack would be alone [[web server, app server, database server)

I wonder how much their currently broken, subpar website cost them? $100,000?

[detroithealth]

I didn't ask inside because the branch was closed. I then tried to find info on the website, but couldn't. I tried again later and the website wouldn't even load.

Carey - did you confirm that it's just for the day, then? If so - thanks!

I agree, the wording "branch closing" seems permanent, whereas "branch will be closed" would seem appropriate for a day.


Vox & JBMcB - good points

[OriginalG313]

Here's the schedule I found online for the Skillman Detroit branch.
http://www.detroit.lib.mi.us/events/...s_skillman.htm

And, there's nothing here that says it's closing permanently.
http://www.detroit.lib.mi.us/skillma...lman_index.htm

[lilpup]

"Branch will be closing" means the branch is closing forever. "Branch will be closed" means it's closing for a period of time.

only in minds predisposed to think that way

[DetroitPole]

only in minds predisposed to think that way

Not really. Besides, for people at all familiar with Detroit, some things just tend to close, go away, or go out of business almost instantly, so we've all been conditioned to think that way, anyway.

The point is, as evidenced by this thread, the people who work at the Detroit Public Library cannot adequately convey in American English on a sign they placed on their front door enough basic information for their constituents to understand what is taking place. Not surprising. Look at Detroit's literacy rate. Look at the library administration's recent lack of understanding of basic arithmetic. Not at all surprising. These people get their jobs from nepotism and political patronage.

If I put a ridiculous, stupid, pointless, meaningless sign like that up on my place of business, I'd be in a lot of trouble. But I don't work for the city. So I can't get away with shit like that. Like the rest of us who have to live in the real world.

[JBMcB]

only in minds predisposed to think that way

Not really. It's why the signs say "Sorry, we're closed" and not "Sorry, we're closing." 'Closing' is infinitive, unless a time span is given. A span wasn't given in this case, just a starting date.

[Locke09]

Not really. It's why the signs say "Sorry, we're closed" and not "Sorry, we're closing." 'Closing' is infinitive, unless a time span is given. A span wasn't given in this case, just a starting date.

You are absolutely correct. It's funny that the library is being criticized for using English correctly.

And for the record, the library is not the "City". It is considered an "independent municipal corporation", authorized by the Board of Education and funded by property taxes.

[Detroit Stylin]

The library is simply closing on Saturdays. During the week it will retain its operating hours...

[lilpup]

Not really. It's why the signs say "Sorry, we're closed" and not "Sorry, we're closing." 'Closing' is infinitive, unless a time span is given. A span wasn't given in this case, just a starting date.

The time span given was Saturday, July 9. There's absolutely no indication or reason to believe that's a "starting" date beyond which there is continued closure.

[detroithealth]

As a new resident of Detroit, here's a completely sincere question: What would it take to have a complete overhaul of the Detroit Public Library system?

The powers that be are clearly inept at managing the treasure with which they've been entrusted.

Also, I'm pretty sure the librarian I spoke with [[on the phone) two weeks ago was barely literate. I had to spell the title of a book several times [[slowly), and then wait another 5 minutes while she navigated the keyboard. Frustrating, to say the least.

[lilpup]

DPL has really done ok thru the years given their situation. As far as your phone exchange I'm sure you weren't talking to a librarian. There are actually few librarians in libraries anymore. Most staffers are just hired help, interns, or volunteers, often time student volunteers, especially in the summer.

[detroithealth]

lilpup - thanks. that helps somewhat.