Next Tuesday, September 16 on Peaks Island, the Planning Committee of the Portland Public Library begins a series of 6 public meetings (see schedule) to both inform and be informed by the public in connection to the future of the library system. These meetings are augmenting the ongoing Library planning and are also in response to a City Council request that we seek community input as we go forward in responding to any future financial stress.
One of the difficulties in generating useful and quality public discourse is the lack of historical memory by the people participating. We often underestimate the value of the documents or statements that were previously produced during crisis moments but possess a clarity that is born of necessity of the moment. We plan to hand out some material at these meetings but the “Response to FY 08-09 City Funding Reduction” located on our website since last May continues to describe our framework as we struggled to reduce expenditures by $225,000. Our goals, principles and steps are there for all to see and hopefully inform as to what our universe looked like at that point. The general thinking is as valid now as it was in May.
After two record setting years in a row, we have begun this new fiscal year with a 20% reduction in hours at Monument Square. Maine’s largest public library facility and the backbone of our library system now operates on a 5 day per week schedule after a loss of over 10% of its staff. The main library supports the work of our other 5 locations in addition to serving users directly. Interlibrary loan, the acquisition and cataloging of materials, the technology resources, outreach services – many, many things are done at Monument Square that make the branches better able to serve the neighborhoods.
The Library is full of hope that many people will attend one or more of these meetings and engage in a constructive and civil conversation about how we can create a great Library system and what that might look like. That will require a transcendence of narrow neighborhood interests and a genuine appreciation of what the mission and responsibility is of a library system to the entire city. Regardless of that vision outcome the financial commitment of the City of Portland must remain strong in supporting the Library’s infrastructure while the Library raises funds for programs, collections and services.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Reorganization vs. Renovation
When the doors to the Monument Square location closed at the end of the day on Saturday, June 28, we took a deep breath and began to contemplate the huge reorganization job in front of us. Since Sunday, June 29, volunteers and staff have put hundreds of hours toward the task of moving tens of thousands of items over two floors in an attempt to reorganize library operations and respond effectively to budget reductions and the loss of the equivalent of 4.5 positions. 
We have eliminated a service desk and moved collections, computers and services for a more logical and pleasant user experience. We have continued to provide interlibrary loan, buy and organize materials and serve the public during these two weeks through branch operations at five other locations.
We have heard many things from the public while we have been closed these two weeks. Many have said that they miss us and for that we are deeply grateful. We have also heard that some folks misunderstood these two weeks to be our “renovation” project for which funds from the Reach for the Stars capital campaign are being directed. This is a good opportunity to clarify things.
The renovation of the Monument Square central library will begin next spring. The project, when completed in the spring of 2010, will change the nature of not just the Portland Public Library’s main facility but of Monument Square itself. If we are successful in the effort Monument Square will assume a position as one of America’s great small urban squares equal to what this City aspires to be. (Success in the short term means raising the remainder of the needed project funds)
When we reopen on Tuesday, July 15 at 10:00 AM, we hope that your experience at Monument Square will be a quantum improvement over past years but only a morsel size taste of what awaits once the renovation is completed in the mid 2010.
We have heard many things from the public while we have been closed these two weeks. Many have said that they miss us and for that we are deeply grateful. We have also heard that some folks misunderstood these two weeks to be our “renovation” project for which funds from the Reach for the Stars capital campaign are being directed. This is a good opportunity to clarify things.
The renovation of the Monument Square central library will begin next spring. The project, when completed in the spring of 2010, will change the nature of not just the Portland Public Library’s main facility but of Monument Square itself. If we are successful in the effort Monument Square will assume a position as one of America’s great small urban squares equal to what this City aspires to be. (Success in the short term means raising the remainder of the needed project funds)
When we reopen on Tuesday, July 15 at 10:00 AM, we hope that your experience at Monument Square will be a quantum improvement over past years but only a morsel size taste of what awaits once the renovation is completed in the mid 2010.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
PPL in Neighborhood Life
If you live in Portland and read the papers, you’ve probably been exposed to the controversy surrounding our response to the FY 08-09 budget situation. We have posted an information packet (6-26-2008 - this link has been corrected - the document is on the PPL website, under the Press section) that tries to give context and explanation to the steps that we have taken which include reduction of approximately 11.75% (6 FTE) of our staff and an impact on when and where we can offer service.
The vast majority of the reduction has come from the downtown location (83%) and we will be open one less day a week. We have also made the very reluctant, and unpopular, decision to close the Reiche Branch at Reiche School in order to balance the remainder of our budget. We have offered to be part of a bigger discussion in the Reiche Community around quality of life and the role of the Library. Even though the funds may, with luck, be restored by the City Council, we desperately need to use the momentum of the current situation to understand more fully the community need that clearly transcends traditional library mission. We need to talk!
Neighborhood presence in as many Portland neighborhoods as possible is critical to meeting our mission and to the future of the Library. We hope to be part of a city-wide conversation next year with many possible partners to try and improve the quality of life in our communities – whether or not we currently have a building in that neighborhood.
The Board will host an open forum on Wednesday, May 14 at 4:00 PM in the Rines Auditorium concerning the response to the budget. Please come and share your feelings if you can or email me through this blog.
The vast majority of the reduction has come from the downtown location (83%) and we will be open one less day a week. We have also made the very reluctant, and unpopular, decision to close the Reiche Branch at Reiche School in order to balance the remainder of our budget. We have offered to be part of a bigger discussion in the Reiche Community around quality of life and the role of the Library. Even though the funds may, with luck, be restored by the City Council, we desperately need to use the momentum of the current situation to understand more fully the community need that clearly transcends traditional library mission. We need to talk!
Neighborhood presence in as many Portland neighborhoods as possible is critical to meeting our mission and to the future of the Library. We hope to be part of a city-wide conversation next year with many possible partners to try and improve the quality of life in our communities – whether or not we currently have a building in that neighborhood.
The Board will host an open forum on Wednesday, May 14 at 4:00 PM in the Rines Auditorium concerning the response to the budget. Please come and share your feelings if you can or email me through this blog.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Tough Times in Portland Town
The United States of America, State of Maine, Cumberland County and City of Portland are experiencing economic stress. “Stress” is a nice word to use to describe the fall out from people losing jobs in all walks of life and being faced with all sorts of bills from taxes to food to fuel that make everyone concerned about our individual and group future. Portland Public Library, as an “end-of-the-line” institution for governmental funding, has now experienced reductions from the State, County and City during this fiscal year. (We don’t worry about the status of our direct funding from the federal government as there isn’t any.)
Next year the funding landscape is even more difficult. The City of Portland is considering scenarios that either “flat fund” the Library or reduce the Library’s funding by $50,000 from the current year. The difficulty is, of course, that in the fulfillment of all types of contracts such as technology, staff, maintenance, etc., “flat funding” means an inability to meet the contractual demands at the current level. The result is a reduction in expenses to meet the income available. In our case the major reduction in expenses will have to be staffing levels. The current work has led us to the conclusion that 6 FTEs (Full Time Equivalents) will need to be eliminated and other savings found in order for us to create a balanced budget.
The City is clearly in a difficult time and it may be a multi year situation. The Library has many friends in the community and is appreciated by a City Council that understands its value. The irony, of course, is that an institution functioning at record setting levels and is most needed during periods of economic downturn will be severely compromised in doing the work. It is a huge challenge for the Council to engage in anything other than triage at this point due to the depth of the problem. The Library has to respond intelligently to the situation with a plan that attempts to position us for better days, yet still tries to provide quality service when open.
Though the details of our response are still being refined, one thing is at least clear: the Portland Public Library system will not be open as many hours beginning July 1. Though we all understand and experience daily the fiscal realities, as Maine’s most heavily used visited public cultural resource there is sadness to our being less available.
We have attempted to provide some additional information concerning the budget situation for next year through a series of FAQs. The first FAQ document is located on the Portland Public Library web-site at http://www.portlandlibrary.com/Press/BUDGETFAQ042508.pdf
Next year the funding landscape is even more difficult. The City of Portland is considering scenarios that either “flat fund” the Library or reduce the Library’s funding by $50,000 from the current year. The difficulty is, of course, that in the fulfillment of all types of contracts such as technology, staff, maintenance, etc., “flat funding” means an inability to meet the contractual demands at the current level. The result is a reduction in expenses to meet the income available. In our case the major reduction in expenses will have to be staffing levels. The current work has led us to the conclusion that 6 FTEs (Full Time Equivalents) will need to be eliminated and other savings found in order for us to create a balanced budget.
The City is clearly in a difficult time and it may be a multi year situation. The Library has many friends in the community and is appreciated by a City Council that understands its value. The irony, of course, is that an institution functioning at record setting levels and is most needed during periods of economic downturn will be severely compromised in doing the work. It is a huge challenge for the Council to engage in anything other than triage at this point due to the depth of the problem. The Library has to respond intelligently to the situation with a plan that attempts to position us for better days, yet still tries to provide quality service when open.
Though the details of our response are still being refined, one thing is at least clear: the Portland Public Library system will not be open as many hours beginning July 1. Though we all understand and experience daily the fiscal realities, as Maine’s most heavily used visited public cultural resource there is sadness to our being less available.
We have attempted to provide some additional information concerning the budget situation for next year through a series of FAQs. The first FAQ document is located on the Portland Public Library web-site at http://www.portlandlibrary.com/Press/BUDGETFAQ042508.pdf
Friday, February 29, 2008
More About Those Numbers
The lending of non-book materials (videos, spoken word and music in various formats) accounts for a substantial amount of activity at the Portland Public Library system. Below are videos in various formats that have been borrowed at least 500 times in recent years with Waking Ned Devine the most borrowed. All good stuff for a variety of ages, tastes and moods!
Next time we'll check out the music.....
Waking Ned Devine
Emma
The Black Stallion
Peter Brook's The Mahabharata
Breakfast at Tiffany's
MOONSTRUCK
The Wizard of Oz
The Story of English
The Last picture show
Brideshead revisited
Unforgiven
Lilias! alive with Yoga
Taxi driver
Gettysburg
The Great escape
Transformations of myth through time : the soul of the ancients
The African Queen
SAINT ELMO'S FIRE
Lonesome Dove
Shakespeare in love
Yellow submarine
The end of the affair
Alice's Restaurant
Cabaret
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Crouching tiger, hidden dragon
Some like it hot
Next time we'll check out the music.....
Waking Ned Devine
Emma
The Black Stallion
Peter Brook's The Mahabharata
Breakfast at Tiffany's
MOONSTRUCK
The Wizard of Oz
The Story of English
The Last picture show
Brideshead revisited
Unforgiven
Lilias! alive with Yoga
Taxi driver
Gettysburg
The Great escape
Transformations of myth through time : the soul of the ancients
The African Queen
SAINT ELMO'S FIRE
Lonesome Dove
Shakespeare in love
Yellow submarine
The end of the affair
Alice's Restaurant
Cabaret
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Crouching tiger, hidden dragon
Some like it hot
Thursday, February 21, 2008
PPL By the Numbers
Portland Public Library set a lending record for the July 2007– December 2007 period, reporting a 10 % increase over the same period last year. This is especially encouraging to me as it follows a record setting year that ended in July, and it now marks an 18 month period of record lending. Book circulation swelled by 10% and audio visual items grew by 11%, both exhibiting substantial increases.
For the year ending June 30, 2007, the Portland Public Library system lent 742,779 items and experienced 617,449 visits from users.
Lending of materials is one of the key statistics libraries use to gauge activity. Preliminary figures for January 2008 show an 8% increase over last January, continuing the strong positive trend. The renovation project at Monument Square once completed in mid 2010 should further increase lending rates.
What does it mean? I tend to worry about trends more than absolute numbers but the possibility of lending over 800,000 items this year is an impressive prospect. That level of activity seems to make the statement better than I can with hundreds of words that the PPL is alive and well. This evidence flies in the face of the casual observer’s conclusion that libraries are book warehouses, nobody cares about them, etc. Usually the population group assumed to not use libraries (or at least is pulling away from them) is Generation Y (ages 18-29). The recent Pew Internet & American Life Project report (December 30, 2007) "Information Searches that solve problems: How people use the internet, libraries, and government agencies when they need help” found that group “are the most likely library visitors for any purpose.” People are using public libraries right now and the prospect for future continued heavy use is bright.
For the year ending June 30, 2007, the Portland Public Library system lent 742,779 items and experienced 617,449 visits from users.
Lending of materials is one of the key statistics libraries use to gauge activity. Preliminary figures for January 2008 show an 8% increase over last January, continuing the strong positive trend. The renovation project at Monument Square once completed in mid 2010 should further increase lending rates.
What does it mean? I tend to worry about trends more than absolute numbers but the possibility of lending over 800,000 items this year is an impressive prospect. That level of activity seems to make the statement better than I can with hundreds of words that the PPL is alive and well. This evidence flies in the face of the casual observer’s conclusion that libraries are book warehouses, nobody cares about them, etc. Usually the population group assumed to not use libraries (or at least is pulling away from them) is Generation Y (ages 18-29). The recent Pew Internet & American Life Project report (December 30, 2007) "Information Searches that solve problems: How people use the internet, libraries, and government agencies when they need help” found that group “are the most likely library visitors for any purpose.” People are using public libraries right now and the prospect for future continued heavy use is bright.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Some of My Good (not new) 2007 Reads
The Road Washes Out in Spring: a poet’s memoir of living off the grid by Baron Wormser.
Maine’s former Poet Laureate writes gloriously about poetry and what it was like to live in the Maine woods near Madison in the 1970's. The people and the land are equal stars.
History of the American People by Paul Johnson.
Sometimes cranky English historian mostly tells it like it was while striping away American myths.
The Maine Reader: the Downeast experience from 1614 to the present edited by Charles and Samuella Shain.
2007 was the first year that I have concentrated on this wonderful compilation. If you haven’t familiarized yourself with it yet, make it a date.
Confluence: Merrymeeting Bay by Franklin Burroughs and Heather Perry.
Merrymeeting Bay may be a mystery to many but for sure it is a natural treasure. The mixing of the Androscoggin and Kennebec Rivers above Bath has created a natural wonder. Heather Perry’s photography is incredible and Frank Burroughs, retired English Professor at Bowdoin, is one beautiful nature writer.
Contemporary Maine Fiction edited by Wes McNair.
I am not a big fiction reader so to have a chance to read short stories by Richard Ford, Stephen King, Elaine Ford, Monica Wood, etc. is not just a convenience but a thrilling ride.
Maine’s former Poet Laureate writes gloriously about poetry and what it was like to live in the Maine woods near Madison in the 1970's. The people and the land are equal stars.
History of the American People by Paul Johnson.
Sometimes cranky English historian mostly tells it like it was while striping away American myths.
The Maine Reader: the Downeast experience from 1614 to the present edited by Charles and Samuella Shain.
2007 was the first year that I have concentrated on this wonderful compilation. If you haven’t familiarized yourself with it yet, make it a date.
Confluence: Merrymeeting Bay by Franklin Burroughs and Heather Perry.
Merrymeeting Bay may be a mystery to many but for sure it is a natural treasure. The mixing of the Androscoggin and Kennebec Rivers above Bath has created a natural wonder. Heather Perry’s photography is incredible and Frank Burroughs, retired English Professor at Bowdoin, is one beautiful nature writer.
Contemporary Maine Fiction edited by Wes McNair.
I am not a big fiction reader so to have a chance to read short stories by Richard Ford, Stephen King, Elaine Ford, Monica Wood, etc. is not just a convenience but a thrilling ride.
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