Since I last blogged - chalk it up to post-semester fatigue and being depressed by the constant stream of Google Alerts re library closures and cut-backs. Especially in the United States where I have read that all 11 (and a half) branch libraries in Siskiyou County under threat of closure, where FoxNews Chicago gives airtime to the question of closing down the city's libraries and interviews a gentleman by the name of Jim Tobin who, when asked about the library's value in assisting people to find jobs, replies "The jobs aren't there" and argues that this is due to the government spending people's taxes on wasteful things like libraries.
And lest we think that we are relatively immune to such things in Australia - only yesterday, my mother was telling me that in the Clare and Gilbert Valleys where she lives, the mobile library service was axed quite some time ago. Now the local post-master in Tarlee is investigating how he might go about setting up a small library in the post office. I've passed on some advice accordingly.
Which is a nice note to end on, I think.
Cheers!
Catherine
PS The Huffington Post website (see link under 'the jobs aren't there') has a quick poll on its pages, asking readers if libraries are necessary or a waste of taxpayers' money - the poll is currently running at 94.19% of readers say they are necessary and only 5.81% agree with Mr Tobin. Which is a very cheering thought.
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