Detroit News: Detroit library could close most of its branches

[Rocko]

From the Detroit News, "The Home Newspaper":

April 15. 2011 1:07PM Detroit library could close most of its branches

$11M shortfall may mean closing 12-18 sites for city's public gem

Christine MacDonald and RoNeisha Mullen / The Detroit News

Detroit —The Detroit Public Library could close most of its neighborhood branches and lay off more than half of its workers because of an $11 million shortfall caused by plunging tax collections.

One month after laying off 80 workers, library administrators said deeper cuts are needed and outlined three options: Shut 18 of 23 branches and lay off 191 of the remaining 333 workers; 15 branches and 163 workers; or 12 branches and 135 workers.

Whatever course commissioners who oversee the system choose in May, residents in an economically challenged city with a functional illiteracy rate of 47 percent are likely to suffer.

"We are really running out of options to maintain the viability of the system," said Anthony Adams, a library commissioner. "I don't see too many ways to avoid not doing something draconian. Every day we don't act is a day we are digging a deeper hole for ourselves."

The proposed cuts are the latest casualty for a city struggling with plunging property values and population. Largely funded through a 4.63-mill property tax, the system faces a revenue shortfall of 20 percent per year until at least 2015, administrators estimate. The tax that generated $40 million in 2010 is expected to produce only $14 million by 2015.

The list of targeted branches stretches throughout the city and could force residents to drive several miles to one. The most severe option leaves the entire northeast side of Detroit without a branch. And that's outraged users who have been flocking to the system in part because of the economy. Visits rose 20 percent since 2007 to 4.9 million a year.

"It's a tragedy. It's a great sin that should be made a crime," said Shirley Beaupre, 83. "The library has to be put in our priorities."

She was at the Skillman library downtown Wednesday, where nearly all computers were in use and residents were stunned that the branch is on the closure list. Lee Ray, 57, said he visits three to four times a week and understands budget cuts, but calls the proposal "extreme."

"There's really no other public place for people to go," Ray said.

The plan shocked Karen Love, an original board member of the Detroit Literacy Coalition.


"A city the size of Detroit? We are trying to convince people to come back to the city," she said. "Why would they come? Come on. It's a sad day in the city."

System under scrutiny

The closure list is a work in progress, officials said, because administrators selected branches for closure based on cost savings. The Detroit Library Commission is expected to scrutinize usage and demographics to fine-tune the list. Commissioners are set to discuss the plan Tuesday, and a public hearing would precede any vote.

"We recognize we have difficult choices to make," said executive director Jo Anne Mondowney. "But the library has been here for citizens and will continue to stay."
The proposal comes as spending in the system has come under scrutiny. Union leaders wonder how the situation has grown so dire, since administrators gave unions a 6 percent raise over the past two years. Union officials also criticize a decision to use nearly $10 million in operations funds for construction projects in the past few years.

Other initiatives have come into question. In February, The Detroit News reported that the system set aside $200,000 for a fundraising campaign that was supposed to raise $20 million but instead collected $100.

Adams blamed some of the cuts on unions that he said haven't accepted concessions.

"They have not come back with anything," Adams said.

But Todd Kelly, president of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1259, said the library staff hasn't asked for give-backs. He blasted the closure plan, noting administrators should have done better forecasting revenues.

"Essentially you are killing a library system," said Kelly, who represents 125 workers, including clerks, janitors and security staffers. "With the illiteracy rate we already have in Detroit, all it is going to do is heighten that."

Several options available

The library also is looking at several changes to boost revenue: banning users with more than $10 in fines from using computers; forbidding parents with outstanding fines from using their children's library cards; and instituting a $1 fee for DVDs, CDs and video game rentals.

Adams said the district has a rainy day fund of about $17 million, some of which may be tapped. But he cautioned against depleting the fund.

Edward Thomas, the commission president, said the library is looking at several options, including private partnerships to keep some locations open and intermediate shutdowns instead of all-out closures. Under all scenarios, the Main Library on Woodward will remain open.

"It is as shocking to me as it was to anybody else looking at it," Thomas said of the proposal. "I hope the public will be patient."

Dominique Boradus, who visited the Frederick Douglass branch near Corktown on Wednesday, was still worried.

"For a lot of people this is their only source of books and Internet," said Boradus, 23, who was there to use the Internet after a neighborhood power outage.

"Where are they supposed to go if the libraries are closed?"

cmacdonald@detnews.com
[[313) 222-2396

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110415/...#ixzz1JcLCtBfD

- - - - -

That's a huge shame if so many branches really are to close. As was quoted, "how are we supposed to encourage people to come back to the city if we keep closing its cultural and neighborhood draws?" Just as sad to see the Skillman Branch downtown up for closure as it is any of the neighborhood branches. I think their ideas for revenue raising are good ones, however. Hopefully some funding somewhere can be found to help avert some of these closures. Also, I would hope that if there are any, they tie in well with Bing's Detroit Works Project, so branches aren't being closed in areas determined "viable," while others are left open in the areas where other city services may be reduced. We'll see.....

[Augustiner]

So how much more is it going to cost to reopen these branches in five years once we come to our senses and figure out that having no libraries is not a viable plan? How much scrapper damage will the buildings have incurred by then? Didn't we just go through this shit with the police precincts? And what in the everloving fuck is this?

The proposal comes as spending in the system has come under scrutiny. Union leaders wonder how the situation has grown so dire, since administrators gave unions a 6 percent raise over the past two years. Union officials also criticize a decision to use nearly $10 million in operations funds for construction projects in the past few years.

Other initiatives have come into question. In February, The Detroit News reported that the system set aside $200,000 for a fundraising campaign that was supposed to raise $20 million but instead collected $100.

Time for some heads to start rolling.

[Bham1982]

This is horrible news.

Honestly, I would have no problem shutting down the Birmingham library and shifting funding to Detroit. No one here really needs it, and folks in Detroit are starving for a step-up in life.

But not with the same leadership. They seriously only raised $100? WTF? I could make more panhandling the streets of downtown for a few hours.

[bailey]

This is horrible news.

Honestly, I would have no problem shutting down the Birmingham library and shifting funding to Detroit. No one here really needs it, and folks in Detroit are starving for a step-up in life.

But not with the same leadership. They seriously only raised $100? WTF? I could make more panhandling the streets of downtown for a few hours.

Like with much of DPS and the CoD.... if you let incompetents and thieves run a system, well, you get a $100 return on a 200k investment and an 11 million dollar budget deficit.

Hopefully the next story is about the criminal indictments being handed down....but not holding my breath.

[fryar]

They really can't do enough stories about waste & theft.

[LodgeDodger]

This is horrible news.

Honestly, I would have no problem shutting down the Birmingham library and shifting funding to Detroit. No one here really needs it, and folks in Detroit are starving for a step-up in life.

But not with the same leadership. They seriously only raised $100? WTF? I could make more panhandling the streets of downtown for a few hours.

They sould have hired "Sir, Sir", he would have brought in a boat load of money.

Seriously, when I read crap like that I could rip a door off the hinges.

[Rocko]

I've never been in the Skillman downtown library, but I've heard it's beautiful inside. The Skillman Family/Foundation spent several millions restoring this building and renovating for 21st century technology about 10 years ago. From what I've read and heard, despite the lack of a large population living within easy walking distance of this branch, it seems to be a busy place much of the time. It would be a big shame to see this building close, yet again, as it did back in '98. Maybe the Skillman Foundation would be willing to contribute X amount per year to keep this specific branch open if it does come to be on the chopping block.

It is particularly painful for me to read about the woes of one of Detroit's most important educational tools. My grandparents both worked for DPL in the 50s and in fact they met on a DPL excursion down to Bob-Lo Island. I really enjoyed driving around with my grandmother 10-12 years ago and visiting the branches she worked at in the 50s. I've done research at the Main Library and their collections truly cannot be priced. I know the Main won't close, but the value of having a local library in a neighborhood is tremendous.

I cannot emphasize enough that if any closures must happen, they MUST be in accordance with the Detroit Works Plan. Closing libraries in viable, or potentially viable neighborhoods would be a large dark mark for future development.

[Danny]

'Print is dead!" sez... Egon Spangler

[DetroitPole]

From the Detroit News, "The Home Newspaper":

April 15. 2011 1:07PM Detroit library could close most of its branches

$11M shortfall may mean closing 12-18 sites for city's public gem

Christine MacDonald and RoNeisha Mullen / The Detroit News

Detroit —The Detroit Public Library could close most of its neighborhood branches and lay off more than half of its workers because of an $11 million shortfall caused by plunging tax collections.

One month after laying off 80 workers, library administrators said deeper cuts are needed and outlined three options: Shut 18 of 23 branches and lay off 191 of the remaining 333 workers; 15 branches and 163 workers; or 12 branches and 135 workers.

Whatever course commissioners who oversee the system choose in May, residents in an economically challenged city with a functional illiteracy rate of 47 percent are likely to suffer.

"We are really running out of options to maintain the viability of the system," said Anthony Adams, a library commissioner. "I don't see too many ways to avoid not doing something draconian. Every day we don't act is a day we are digging a deeper hole for ourselves."

The proposed cuts are the latest casualty for a city struggling with plunging property values and population. Largely funded through a 4.63-mill property tax, the system faces a revenue shortfall of 20 percent per year until at least 2015, administrators estimate. The tax that generated $40 million in 2010 is expected to produce only $14 million by 2015.

The list of targeted branches stretches throughout the city and could force residents to drive several miles to one. The most severe option leaves the entire northeast side of Detroit without a branch. And that's outraged users who have been flocking to the system in part because of the economy. Visits rose 20 percent since 2007 to 4.9 million a year.

"It's a tragedy. It's a great sin that should be made a crime," said Shirley Beaupre, 83. "The library has to be put in our priorities."

She was at the Skillman library downtown Wednesday, where nearly all computers were in use and residents were stunned that the branch is on the closure list. Lee Ray, 57, said he visits three to four times a week and understands budget cuts, but calls the proposal "extreme."

"There's really no other public place for people to go," Ray said.

The plan shocked Karen Love, an original board member of the Detroit Literacy Coalition.


"A city the size of Detroit? We are trying to convince people to come back to the city," she said. "Why would they come? Come on. It's a sad day in the city."

System under scrutiny

The closure list is a work in progress, officials said, because administrators selected branches for closure based on cost savings. The Detroit Library Commission is expected to scrutinize usage and demographics to fine-tune the list. Commissioners are set to discuss the plan Tuesday, and a public hearing would precede any vote.

"We recognize we have difficult choices to make," said executive director Jo Anne Mondowney. "But the library has been here for citizens and will continue to stay."
The proposal comes as spending in the system has come under scrutiny. Union leaders wonder how the situation has grown so dire, since administrators gave unions a 6 percent raise over the past two years. Union officials also criticize a decision to use nearly $10 million in operations funds for construction projects in the past few years.

Other initiatives have come into question. In February, The Detroit News reported that the system set aside $200,000 for a fundraising campaign that was supposed to raise $20 million but instead collected $100.

Adams blamed some of the cuts on unions that he said haven't accepted concessions.

"They have not come back with anything," Adams said.

But Todd Kelly, president of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1259, said the library staff hasn't asked for give-backs. He blasted the closure plan, noting administrators should have done better forecasting revenues.

"Essentially you are killing a library system," said Kelly, who represents 125 workers, including clerks, janitors and security staffers. "With the illiteracy rate we already have in Detroit, all it is going to do is heighten that."

Several options available

The library also is looking at several changes to boost revenue: banning users with more than $10 in fines from using computers; forbidding parents with outstanding fines from using their children's library cards; and instituting a $1 fee for DVDs, CDs and video game rentals.

Adams said the district has a rainy day fund of about $17 million, some of which may be tapped. But he cautioned against depleting the fund.

Edward Thomas, the commission president, said the library is looking at several options, including private partnerships to keep some locations open and intermediate shutdowns instead of all-out closures. Under all scenarios, the Main Library on Woodward will remain open.

"It is as shocking to me as it was to anybody else looking at it," Thomas said of the proposal. "I hope the public will be patient."

Dominique Boradus, who visited the Frederick Douglass branch near Corktown on Wednesday, was still worried.

"For a lot of people this is their only source of books and Internet," said Boradus, 23, who was there to use the Internet after a neighborhood power outage.

"Where are they supposed to go if the libraries are closed?"

cmacdonald@detnews.com
[[313) 222-2396

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110415/...#ixzz1JcLCtBfD

- - - - -

That's a huge shame if so many branches really are to close. As was quoted, "how are we supposed to encourage people to come back to the city if we keep closing its cultural and neighborhood draws?" Just as sad to see the Skillman Branch downtown up for closure as it is any of the neighborhood branches. I think their ideas for revenue raising are good ones, however. Hopefully some funding somewhere can be found to help avert some of these closures. Also, I would hope that if there are any, they tie in well with Bing's Detroit Works Project, so branches aren't being closed in areas determined "viable," while others are left open in the areas where other city services may be reduced. We'll see.....

Anthony Adams? Red flag right there. Former Deputy Mayor under Kilpatrick and now School Board President and apparently on the Library board as well, and his only qualifications appear to be an all-around total pile of shit.

A few branches may need to close, but no way should that many or the Skillman branch be closed. It is always busy and absolutely beautiful. Of course, these are the folks who raised that $100 making the decisions.

I do support that $1 fee for DVD rentals. A lot of the people who are probably counted in the functionally illiterate just check out piles of DVDs; just go to your local branch. A library really isn't a video store so a nominal fee would be appropriate.

[English]

A wicked and selfish generation doesn't care about anything beyond its HDTV and iPods. With libraries closing in tony Oakland County suburbs, it was just a matter of time before DPL started faltering.

In this new 21st century society, who cares about libraries, symphonies, art galleries, or museums? We have Paris Hilton and the Jersey Shore and Katy Perry. We have succeeded in dumbing down the entire culture. Of course it makes sense that we have no sense of the public good.

[Augustiner]

A wicked and selfish generation doesn't care about anything beyond its HDTV and iPods. With libraries closing in tony Oakland County suburbs, it was just a matter of time before DPL started faltering.

In this new 21st century society, who cares about libraries, symphonies, art galleries, or museums? We have Paris Hilton and the Jersey Shore and Katy Perry. We have succeeded in dumbing down the entire culture. Of course it makes sense that we have no sense of the public good.

That isn't really what's going on here.

[English]

That isn't really what's going on here.

That's exactly what's going on here. I'm not surprised that few can see it.

[Vox]

That's exactly what's going on here. I'm not surprised that few can see it.

It's part of what is going on, no mistake about it. But the larger problem lies in millages, money, and salaries.

The millage money hasn't carried the weight of the costs of the library, simple as that. Spending money that wasn't there and giving the 6% raises in recent years was not exactly prudent stewardship of the citizen's trust in their library board's leadership.

[Russix]

How much did they spend to tear this down after they rejected three offers while trying to sell it?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/decojim/3260054917/

[sumas]

Been there, done that! Libraries get closed down all the time. Jefferson Branch got closed temp when I was a kid. Neighborhood was too white and got too much use out of the facilitiy.

Closing libraries is close to a sin in my book. Schools failing and now libraries, how sad is that! Lets insure our children are completely bereft. Sic sic sic!

[stromberg2]

A wicked and selfish generation doesn't care about anything beyond its HDTV and iPods. With libraries closing in tony Oakland County suburbs, it was just a matter of time before DPL started faltering.

In this new 21st century society, who cares about libraries, symphonies, art galleries, or museums? We have Paris Hilton and the Jersey Shore and Katy Perry. We have succeeded in dumbing down the entire culture. Of course it makes sense that we have no sense of the public good.

And the world continues to laugh at America.

Stromberg2

[Joseph C. Krause]

Russix!

Thank you for bringing that up. That demolition reeks of corruption and no media entity did any significant investigation of it. Let's please have a journalist look at that seriously! The News reported that they rejected multi-million dollar offers for the building, but instead spent money to demolish it and market the vacant lot, which is probably worth about five grand.

[Russix]

Russix!

Thank you for bringing that up. That demolition reeks of corruption and no media entity did any significant investigation of it. Let's please have a journalist look at that seriously! The News reported that they rejected multi-million dollar offers for the building, but instead spent money to demolish it and market the vacant lot, which is probably worth about five grand.

Your welcome. That building could have withstood an atomic blast, took them a long time to knock it down and probably cost alot more than they paid for it[[$400,000). I'll forward it to the Free Press.

[winstin_o_boogie_iii]

Your welcome. That building could have withstood an atomic blast, took them a long time to knock it down and probably cost alot more than they paid for it[[$400,000). I'll forward it to the Free Press.

Maybe the paper could also ask why, 4 months after what could be agreed as ground zero of the fiscal crisis, commissioners unanimously agreed to spend a cool $6M in its Capital Capital Improvement Agenda FY July 1, 2008-June 30, 2009 and $20M in its Capital Improvement Agenda FY July 1 2009 – June 30 2010?

Reference: page 9/10 http://detroitpubliclibrary.org/Abou...nuary_2009.pdf

[old guy]

It's part of what is going on, no mistake about it. But the larger problem lies in millages, money, and salaries.

The millage money hasn't carried the weight of the costs of the library, simple as that. Spending money that wasn't there and giving the 6% raises in recent years was not exactly prudent stewardship of the citizen's trust in their library board's leadership.

Are libraries really supposed to pay for themselves? At some point we have to separate the basic functions that are a part of our society from wasteful spending. Schools don't pay for themselves. I highly doubt that fire departments are very profitable, but it's nice having them around. I'm sure that our society wouldn't fall apart tomorrow if all the libraries closed, but what direction is society headed in when we start doing that.
Move to Detroit. Schools, not so much. Libraries, nope, don't need em'. Have a nice day.
You know that when they get done with all these budget cuts the debt is still going to be there. I just don't understand why they have to go after all the things that took so long to establish and were created for the good of the people to advance our society. Maybe, if all else fails, but why are they starting with the most important things?

[Vox]

Are libraries really supposed to pay for themselves? At some point we have to separate the basic functions that are a part of our society from wasteful spending. Schools don't pay for themselves. I highly doubt that fire departments are very profitable, but it's nice having them around. I'm sure that our society wouldn't fall apart tomorrow if all the libraries closed, but what direction is society headed in when we start doing that.
Move to Detroit. Schools, not so much. Libraries, nope, don't need em'. Have a nice day.
You know that when they get done with all these budget cuts the debt is still going to be there. I just don't understand why they have to go after all the things that took so long to establish and were created for the good of the people to advance our society. Maybe, if all else fails, but why are they starting with the most important things?

Basic functions that are part of our society should, in fact, be able to function with a point of break even mode from the taxes that are paid for their upkeep. The DPL has a dedicated millage that is supposed to support the libraries in the city. The curent budget for the library this year is $51,442,053. A significant chunk of this is salaries and benefits. Perhaps the staff and administration can give back the 6% in total raises they got the past 2 years in order to attempt to reconcile income with expenditures?

[Rocko]

From the Detroit News:

April 20. 2011 1:02AM
Angry Detroit library backers sound off

Vow to fight plan to close most of system's branches

Christine MacDonald / The Detroit News

Detroit — The Detroit Library Board of Commissioners on Tuesday heard anger and promises to fight a controversial proposal to close most of the system's neighborhood branches.
More than 100 library users and staffers packed a room at the main library on Woodward for the panel's first meeting since a plan was released last week that could close 18 of 23 branches and lay off more than half the system's 333 workers. Administrators say tough choices are necessary because the system faces an $11 million shortfall this year and revenue drop of 20 percent per year until 2015.

"I will not stand for it," said Ashley Matthews, 17, who says she often takes her 2-year-old daughter to the Chaney branch at Grand River and Greenfield, which is on a closure list.

"Can you live with yourselves if you close our schools, close our libraries?"

Commissioners didn't discuss the proposal, saying it was premature. But they passed a resolution that bans users with more than $10 in fines from using computers in hopes of getting more people to pay their fines. Board members are scrutinizing potential closures and didn't say when they'd make a decision. The budget is expected to be approved in May.

"We are in a tough spot, but we will get through it," commissioner Luther Keith said. "We aren't perfect but we are working on solutions."

Matthews, a member of the activist group By Any Means Necessary, and others promised to fight any closures. Matthews said she was among students who staged a sit-in last week at Catherine Ferguson High School, which is slated to close this year. She and other members of the group said they will launch the same protests if libraries are closed.

An initial closure list was given to board members last week. The list of targeted branches stretches throughout the city and could force residents to drive several miles to an open one.

Carolyn McCormick, a librarian at the Frederick Douglass branch that on a closure list, said backlash is building.

"We are being cussed at and being talked about," said McCormick, who started crying after she stopped speaking. "People are desperate out there."

Regina Ann Campbell,of Detroit, whose mother is a librarian, told the board she hopes the library works with the residents to come up with solutions short of the massive closures.

"We don't need a lot of vacant buildings," said Campbell. "We have plenty as it is."
cmacdonald@detnews.com

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110420/...#ixzz1K4Hn24r6

- - - - - - -

This article references an actual list of potential closures [[branches). Does anyone know where this list can be found? I'm sure it would have an even greater effect having the points plotted on a map of the city.

[Gambling Man]

Forget the libraries, they are antiquated and expensive to upkeep. Back of the napkin.....$70 for every man, woman, and child in the City of Detroit.....Why not just take a third of that money and offer free reading classes for every city resident. You might actually get some results.

[begingri]

Critics: $2.3M Detroit library project a symbol of waste amid budget crisis

Christine MacDonald / The Detroit News

Detroit —Detroit Public Library officials say finances have grown so bad they could close most neighborhood branches, but in a few weeks plan to unveil a revamped wing of a main library that even administrators say spares few expenses.

The South Wing is stocked with 20 yellow and orange European lounge chairs that cost $1,092 apiece, artistic pendant light fixtures and two alcohol-burning fireplaces. The project morphed from a $300,000 furniture update to a $2.3 million overhaul with new floors, study rooms, lighting and built-in, wood-framed book shelves.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110422/...#ixzz1KHF6OE7R

[noise]

The main branch is a beautiful location and absolutely requires a certain level of maintenance and renovation, but appearances are often very harmful. Education is not a value in 2011 America, so the libraries really need to be wise in their decisions.