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Doesn't matter how much we might spend.
Can you say, "Lipstick on a pig", boys and girls?
I just wonder if the library's condition--and the potential $1.86 million yearly savings which closing it would reportedly generate--justify depriving residents of one of the city's greatest public resources, for however short or long a period.
My understanding is that the City of Long Beach formed a main library task force yesterday--but as of now, there's literally no definitive plan in place to ensure (or even specify) what will happen when they close Main Library.
And the city is considering closing it in October--about two months from now.
Will the city immediately open a satellite library elsewhere in downtown? That's not certain.
How will a new library be funded? Part of the money that could pay for it--roughly $18 million--is earmarked in Mayor Bob Foster's proposed infrastructure bond, which goes to voters the following month. What happens if that doesn't pass? We don't know.
Will whatever system they arrange for citizens to utilize Main Library's resources, while the building is closed to the public, work as well as Main Library does when it's open? We don't know; to my knowledge, no one has worked out details of that system.
These are some of my concerns.
They say--and with justification--that a real city needs institutions like art museums; that they enrich its social, cultural and intellectual life immeasurably.
My question for you, LBResident is: can't we--and shouldn't we--make that same argument for the Main Library?
I think we should have library services and that they should be accessible to everyone in the city. I'm not sure this requires "main" library though.
Do we need a library downtown? We need the services but I think the existing building is a nice to have considering our budget. If we can save some money by closing Main yet still provide library services to the people downtown I think it is something we should consider.
And I do think Main is poorly located (as is city hall). I'd love to see those buildings moved and the homeless camp eliminated.
By the way, if we can't afford $3 million to do minor repairs, how can we afford over $18 million to build a new library? We can't. So, no new library will be built, and no computer center will be started for at least a year (and how much will that cost?).
This is simply ridiculous. They want to close the library, so they will say and do whatever they can to get it done. Listen closely. When they say "may" and "might" it means it won't happen.
LBResident - take a look at the library statistics. Over 500,000 people a year use the MAIN branch of the library.
Where will all of those people go? Do you think the neighborhood branches can sustain those numbers? I know the Bay Shore library has nowhere to park. So, where will the homeless go then? Probably to the branch libraries.
Any building it is moved to would have to be retrofitted to handle library shelving, and technological services. That would probably be at least $500,000.
Again building a new library would cost a fortune, and we clearly don't have the money. And don't say bond issue, because #1 it's ridiculous, and #2 the bond measure will have a hard time passing.
And they say our 32 year old city hall is in danger of falling down too. Probably baloney as well. I see them picking off the pieces one by one.
I believe that the civic establishment will propose a lucrative private/public partnership to develop the whole superblock - minus the Police Department. The result will be a huge boondoggle for the friends of city hall and LA County Supervisor Donald Knabe. We will end up with a new civic center and an unnecessarily massive bill. And we will loose our mid century civic center in the mix. These buildings could be rehabilitated quite well. Why not let some of our fine local architects design rehabs for them? What is historical preservation all about? Is is just about saving late Victorian kit houses? Where is Long Beach Heritage when we need them?
Folks this is just Long Beach politics as usual. And as usual the establishment is playing along.
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I go back and forth on this one but part of me would love to see a fresh start for this whole area as it should be the heart of the downtown and a great public space. Instead it's a giant poop stain.
But as for the library, okay, fine. Let's say it doesn't close. Where else does the city cut then? People like myself, who grudgingly acknowledge the need for the infrastructure bond, do so because we would like to avoid these types of issues too. However, if anyone remembers from the Infrastructure comments made by me, if you don't like that bond measure, you really won't like the alternatives. That isn't any type of blackmail, just reality. One way or another, the library HAS to close, either for a while to put $3 million worth of band aids on it, and then the city will be accused once again of only going part way when doing something, or permanently, while a new one is constructed.
I'd also question how many actually use the place. It's one thing to gather signatures from people going by the place, but how many of those people have really availed themselves of the main library enough to miss it?
So again, alternatives? It's one thing to say don't do something, but what else would you have them do? The place is in dire need of attention, one way or another.
There is more to this than meets the eye, I think they are obfuscating or out and out hiding things, i.e., lying. They seem to be on a frenzy to tear stuff down and build new stuff, which is crazy. Especially now with the economy in free fall.
There's a rumor that they are making some back room deal's to sell off the Queen Mary to India. When asked, they answer in double speak..
What's going on, for real?
One such objective was: "...to develop a new, independent organization to advise the City and act as an “advocate” for timely implementation of the Plan. The organization will include representatives of neighborhoods, and the education, business, not-for-profit and religious communities. The group will help identify the public policy issues vital to the Plan’s success and present them to our political leadership."
Does anyone know whether that "new, independent organization" was ever actually created? If so, I'd very much like to communicate with one or more of its members.
Among other duties, this group was to "...first be responsible for developing a “community scorecard” to measure progress on each part of the Plan (see sidebar). As necessary, the new organization can also develop new public policy initiatives and civic programs, forums, and communication projects that will aid implementation of the Plan."
Does anyone know whether such a "community scorecard" was ever actually developed? If so, can you tell me where it might be found and reviewed?
I'd be very interested to learn whether we actually followed through on one of the central objectives of "Strategic Plan - Long Beach - 2010".
Are there any readers out there who may have been involved in the production of this document who can provide answers to this?
Of the 1.3 million visits to the Long Beach library system -- 500,000 visits were made to the Main LIbrary. Closing this building is closing the system.
I have not yet heard when the City Council ever directed management to consider closing the Main Library nor did we direct management that a Main Library should be a "smaller building". There are numerous fire stations that need serious repair and we are not closing them. We've been told there are serious problems with City Hall and more than 2000 people work there -- and it is not being closed.
There are some in our City who feel that people have the internet and chain bookstores around the corner -- and that should be enough. Maybe these people should look at the ratings for cities regarding literacy and explain why Long Beach came in 61 out of 69 cities in California before they advocate for closing down the nerve center of our library system.
If that really is Schipske, then she should know it's disingenuous to compare the library to a fire station or even City Hall. If one had to choose between a late response time for a fire that could result in something horrible vs. not being able to access a Japanese art collection, one should sensibly opt for skipping the art. Fire stations, when presented with this choice, should be replaced only after a new one is done. It's public safety 101. As for City Hall, she surely knows of the study that says the emergency stairwells would fail in a large quake, leaving no way for employees to escape if the Big One during work hours. If she could provide us with a way to replace City Hall and all it does overnight, I'd bet Foster and West would close that place in a heartbeat and keep the library open (and then hope the stairs don't damage the library roof if they fall).
Finally, again if this is Schipske and even if it isn't, take up the literacy rate with the school board and the school district. After all, that's her full time gig. Since when is that the city's job?
I see Foster announce that he wants to raise our parcel tax and the next day he's talking about closing the library. Sorry if I don't see that as mere coincidence. I believe it is clearly and obviously a political manuever on his part.
It's a veiled threat: "If you don't allow me to have more money we will close the library." It's my own personal observation.
So far I haven't seen any facts telling me I should cough up more tax dollars to a city government that can't manage the money it already collects.
The library shouldn't be closed, and neither should taxes be raised. Let's cut the fat from our government first. Lay offs may be in order. Cutting back on perks like cars and travel for government workers is a start.
As for the library and the bond, take the time to consider the events and what has been said in their totality. All along, management has dropped hints the library was going to be affected no matter what. If the measure passes, the place gets closed to fix it. The type and extent of repairs necessary don't lend itself to being open to the public. If the measure doesn't pass, then the place closes because it costs too much to keep it operating due to its poor condition. These facts are getting lost in the hysteria.
As for cutting fat, do you realize that's all they've done the last several years? Most departments are running on skeletal crews now as it is, either due to attrition, i.e. people leaving for better paying jobs, or cuts already made. Just to take one example- the police helicopter only flies when there's a situation requiring it. Used to be it went on regular patrol. Due to cuts, now it only goes up in an emergency. To get to that point, cuts in many other areas were made before they reached that part of the P.D.
As for travel for government workers, exactly what do you mean? They have to travel as part of their jobs. The days of pork barrel trips for Long Beach employees ended long ago. Matter of fact, travel has been restricted to the point already where some departments miss out on conferences and seminars that would have provided information on how to function better and more efficiently.
Foster wasn't kidding when he said that it would take the total elimination of some very large essential departments if some sort of accommodations aren't made for infrastructure repair, repair that has been put off far too long in order to balance previous budgets. If not this, then let the airport modernize and bring in more revenue. People opposing that should frankly get their heads out of their collective asses and let the airport join the 21st century. Let gaming onto the Queen Mary. Do something creative in this town for a change rather than say no no no all the time without coming up with alternatives. Sometimes the citizens here are just as backwards as the people they elect. And yes, I realize that will draw some heat, but as someone who is in and out of City Hall all the time, the amount of bad, half baked and made up information in this town that citizens choose to believe amazes me.
And also....I think it's fine that the police helicopter doesn't fly around on patrol continually. It's noisy and a wasteful use of resources.
And another thought: if city workers want/need to attend conferences they can do it at their own expense. The IRS will allow them to deduct these expenses from their income. After all, isn't attending these conferences also a chance for personal career building
and education?
BTW, I like the idea about gaming on the Queen Mary, that is a real solution to fundraising I'd like to see implememented.
Someone commented that the planters on the roof of the library are too heavy in the event of an earthquake. So remove them. Demolish them in place if necessary and haul the rubble away. Clean everything off the roof that doesn't have to be there. Then seal it.
Someone else said the stairs might collapse in an earthquake and strand people on the lower level. There is more than one set of stairs. If necessary, install another set of earthquake proof stairs. Pour solid concrete from lower to upper level if you like.
Modest expenditures on minor modifications will solve all the problems I've seen sited here and they can be accomplished during hours the library is closed.
Another person complained about the aesthetics of the building. Others refer to our main library as a "turd". Well, there are turds involved in this controversy but it's not the building.
Right now the economy will not permit the expenditure of millions to fix what isn't broken. People DO NOT WANT higher taxes to pay for the mismanagement has gotten us to this pass...and I think a criminal investigation may be in order.
What I think is really behind this is a major institution bond house and its salesmen. They are the ones with the most to gain in this charade. Don't be fooled by those who claim the sky is falling and we must lock the doors to the main library for reasons of safety until $516,000,000 in principal is signed for by the hapless citizens who'll believe anything the "experts" tell them. This is like the people who took out second mortgages to buy SUV's, big screens, and vacations when the housing market had no ceiling. The same banking people are pushing us to sign their paper. Don't be stupid. Oh, and remember, it's "for the children" and it involves "safety". The perfect scam. Open your eyes and say NO for the sake of yourselves and your children.