Bloomfield Hills library to close

[DetroitPole]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_locald...ary-initiative

WTF?

She should have mentioned that the Troy Public Library is on the skids as well.

http://friendstpl.org/news/


Detroit has 24 libraries. She should have mentioned that too.

[rb336]

There is no Bloomfield Hills library

[n7hn]

nor has there been one in recent times....

[JBMcB]

This is a well known scam when times are tight. "We have to close the public library because we are underfunded etc..." A millage comes up, passes, and suddenly they are adding wings and buying new computer equipment.

[ruxy17]

No. This article is about Bloomfield Hills residents using the Bloomfield Township library. They [[the city of Bloomfield Hills) opted out of paying the taxes to use Bloomfield Township's library a few years ago, and they now want back in.

Did you even read the article?

[n7hn]

cuz they are treated like freeloaders...... lol
I thought they had libraries at home. The houses I saw did.....

[Detroitnerd]

See, the well-to-do in Bloomfield Hills don't want to pay for social services for anybody -- even themselves. At least they're consistent.

[Gistok]

I thought many of them already did have a library?? ... in the east wing of their mansions....

[bailey]

See, the well-to-do in Bloomfield Hills don't want to pay for social services for anybody -- even themselves. At least they're consistent.

it's a town of 4000 people. In the internet age, what would be the purpose of a library for such a small town? The place has never had a library, why build one now? seems like an obscene waste of money. besides when the city itself would reimburse its citizens for using the BH library, hardly anyone took advantage. Where is the controversy here?

[Detroitnerd]

it's a town of 4000 people. In the internet age, what would be the purpose of a library for such a small town? The place has never had a library, why build one now? seems like an obscene waste of money. besides when the city itself would reimburse its citizens for using the BH library, hardly anyone took advantage. Where is the controversy here?

There's no controversy. I'm just amused to see that some of the richest residents of metro Detroit don't want to be in the business of paying for simple services. And, in a way, they deserve applause for sticking to their convictions, even when it comes to their own services.

[Novine]

Some of you need to go to your nearest public library and find a tutor who can teach you to read. The proposal isn't to build a new library in Bloomfield Hills. It's to return to the previous arrangement where the Hills pays Bloomfield Township to allow Hills residents to use the Township Library. The Township stopped providing service to the Hills after the Hills refused to pay their fair share of library services.

Some fools in the Hills argued that they shouldn't have to pay an equivalent amount. Instead, they insisted that the Township was obligated to provide them equal services at a discount rate. Instead of putting up with such foolishness, the Township cut off the cheapskates. The Hills ran over to Troy and got Troy to sell them access to their library. But it wasn't the same level of access that Hills residents got at the Township Library. This has never been about paying or not paying for library services. Instead, it's about the Hills trying to do it on the cheap and at the expense of taxpayers in other communities.

[n7hn]

One resident clearly stated the real issue is.

"they're embarrassed that they don't have a library," Neal said.

and to get one one lawyer "contends residents shouldn't have to pay any portion of the township library's operating costs, only the cost "to check out books."

so those two things together sum up they dont want it, dont need it, but are due to one so they at least have what the common folk get...... if they want, on their terms, on your dime. Possibly OK a tip jar kinda thing.

[Detroitnerd]

I mean, we all know that rich people shouldn't be expected to do things like pay taxes. They might decide to stop making money.

[douglasm]

Has there ever been a discussion in Michigan about a regional library system? Out here, we don't have "city" libraries, we have a system that covers a 5 county area, and a resident of the library district can go to [[or order books from) any one of the libraries or a regional distribution center. It reduces duplication of services, allows service to areas that couldn't afford it themselves, and gives library services to rural areas where a free standing library isn't practical.

http://www.ncrl.org/

In Washington state, there are over a dozen county or regional library districts that provide services over large territories, both urban [[King County Library Distrcit) and rural [[North Central Regional Library).

I know a number of years ago my mother, when Surrey Township [[Farwell) was having budget problems with its library, looked into the library district idea, but I don't think it got anywhere.....

[n7hn]

I mean, we all know that rich people shouldn't be expected to do things like pay taxes. They might decide to stop making money.

then they couldnt give us meaningful jobs at the food court. Of course they shouldnt pay, It's in our best interest.

FAr as regional goes...... LOL. None of the areas can get along that well. Look at this mess over ONE Library

[Detroitnerd]

Has there ever been a discussion in Michigan about a regional library system? Out here, we don't have "city" libraries, we have a system that covers a 5 county area, and a resident of the library district can go to [[or order books from) any one of the libraries or a regional distribution center. It reduces duplication of services, allows service to areas that couldn't afford it themselves, and gives library services to rural areas where a free standing library isn't practical.

http://www.ncrl.org/

In Washington state, there are over a dozen county or regional library districts that provide services over large territories, both urban [[King County Library Distrcit) and rural [[North Central Regional Library).

I know a number of years ago my mother, when Surrey Township [[Farwell) was having budget problems with its library, looked into the library district idea, but I don't think it got anywhere.....

If I remember right, there is a suburban Detroit library SYSTEM, that allows you to use other suburban libraries. But it doesn't include the city of Detroit's library system, and vice-versa. [[Remind you of the two bus systems?)

[313WX]

If I remember right, there is a suburban Detroit library SYSTEM, that allows you to use other suburban libraries. But it doesn't include the city of Detroit's library system, and vice-versa. [[Remind you of the two bus systems?)

There is the MICard [[something like that).

DPL is included in that system. However that system doesn't include all suburban libraries.

[Patrick]

Wonder why GP never had this same issue?

[FoxyScholar10]

Just want to shout out public libraries for the wonderful services they provide. We should value them more. And it says A LOT about how a well/better resourced district would treat library services rather casually by depending on another district versus having their own appropriately-sized library system.

[scubashelley]

GP has a great library system, it's very efficient and actually utilizes current technology very well. They even have tools and a microscope which you can check out. I was surprised when I lived there how well it was managed. I live near San Diego now and they use a similar system here but it isn't nearly as efficient, although it covers a much larger area.

[douglasm]

The difference between the MICard and our regional system is that ours is a taxing district, not indivdual libraries that allows guests. In this way, no one city is handicaped by a small tax base.

[gazhekwe]

There is WOLF, Wayne-Oakland Library Federation, or something like that, that lets us borrow from participating libraries on a par basis. That is, if our library belongs to WOLF and we have a library card, we can borrow from other WOLF libraries.

[lilpup]

Not only are there regional sharing programs in Michigan, where patrons of participating libraries can use other participating libraries, but there's also a statewide service called MeL - Michigan eLibrary - where patrons can order books from any other library in the state and have them delivered to their home library for pickup.

Sometimes local libraries don't participate in a regional share system due to the way they are funded. For example Ann Arbor's library system has its own millage now. It used to be part of the school system.

[Packman41]

Not only are there regional sharing programs in Michigan, where patrons of participating libraries can use other participating libraries, but there's also a statewide service called MeL - Michigan eLibrary - where patrons can order books from any other library in the state and have them delivered to their home library for pickup.

All true. The City of Bloomfield Hills does not have their own library so they cannot share with other libraries as they have nothing to share.

This whole problem was the instigated by a very small group that tried to bully their way into the Bloomfield Township Library. This went to the Supreme Court of Michigan and the Township won - but it cost the taxpayers over $300,000 to defend it's position. This because the instigators did not want to pay their fair share for services. They wanted the Township residents to supply them the entire library and all of it's services and only charge them the cost of checking out books.

This is like me going into a restaurant and ordering a meal, but only willing to pay for the wholesale cost of the ingredients and not tipping the waitress. It is this type of entitlement mentality that makes cooperation difficult.

[pffft]

Yes there is a cooperative arrangement with most suburban Detroit libraries, if you have a card in Birmingham you can use it in Royal Oak, and vice versa, and in many other cities. But the cheapskates who live in cities like Bloomfield Hills where there is no library should be and are, out of luck.