LONG BEACH LIBRARY BUDGET CUTS!

A friend has asked me to spread the word and this is a worthy cause... The LONG BEACH CALIFORNIA LIBRARIES are facing budget cuts that would mean ALL BRANCHES WOULD BE CLOSED ON MONDAYS STARTING IN OCTOBER. (Not just the Michelle Obama branch in North Long Beach.) And that's not all!

There is talk of putting up to a dozen SENIOR LIBRARIANS out of work.  Other employees may also have reduced hours or lose their employment.

YOU CAN ADD YOUR VOICE WITHOUT BEING A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

LONG BEACH IS LOOKING FORWARD TO MASSIVE POSITIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT BECAUSE THE CITY WILL BE HOSTING THE SUMMER 2028 OLYMPIC GAMES.  THE HOTEL, RESORT, EVENT, and RESTAURANT BUSINESSES IN LONG BEACH ARE VITAL AND WILL BENEFIT.  I BELIEVE LONG BEACH CAN SO AFFORD TO KEEP THE LIBRARIES OPEN ON MONDAY AND KEEP THE SENIOR LIBRARIANS EMPLOYED.

If this picture of the flyer isn't readable, read this:

SPEAK UP FOR MICHELLE OBAMA LIBRARY! This branch is at risk of being closed Mondays.

After years of budget cuts, Long Beach was able to restore a six-day schedule to 5 of its 12 branches in recent years, including here at Michelle Obama Library.  Not now the proposed city budget threatens to reduce the schedule back to five days a week.

We want City Council to :

FULLY FUND LIBRARY STAFF  

Our libraries thrive thanks to the incredible librarians, clerks, security officers, administrators, and every one else who runs them.

PROTECT NEIGHBORHOOD BRANCHES

Everyone deserves access to a library within their neighborhood. Cuts to operating hours are unacceptable.

MAINTAIN PROGRAMS AND MATERIALS

Libraries encourage lifelong learning by providing free access to books, computers, and programs for all ages.

YOUR VOICE MATTERS

1) Attend and speak at the City Council meeting on TUESDAY 8/25 at 3: 00

2) Send an email to your Council member and sign our petition.  Go to the QR Code below to identify your councilmember or sign our petition.

3) Share why the Long Beach Public Library matters to you on social media. Spread the word to your friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues.

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HERE IS YOUR LINK TO LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS:

https://www.longbeach.gov/cityclerk/meetings/

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HERE IS THE LINK IF THE CODE DOESN'T WORK

https://www.lbplfoundation.org/action/

Libraries have always played an extremely important role in my life. I'm aware that the role of librarians and libraries has changed through the years, due to the impact of technology such as computers, e-books, and so on. THESE DAYS LIBRARIES HAVE LINKED WITH EDUCATION, providing support for students and schools. They have become COMMUNITY CENTERS and PROVIDE PATRONS - YOUNG AND OLD - WAYS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ARTS, CRAFTS, AND OTHER CREATIVE ACTIVITIES.  AUTHOR TALKS, BOOK FAIRS, CULTURAL EVENTS, and WRITING WORKSHOPS FIND THEIR SPACE IN LIBRARIES.

LIBRARIES HAVE ALSO BECOME A RESPITE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED A PLACE TO GO AND JUST BE. 

Christine

LAWRENCE CLARK POWELL : OCEAN IN VIEW

Reading around the erosion of the beaches around Malibu, in particular Broad Beach, which was one of my favorites,  I found Powell's descriptions almost romantic.

Powell is the man who the UCLA library is named after, for he was the head librarian there for many years.  He and his wife lived in Westwood and then moved out to the Malibu.

Page 401)

Indians are buried everywhere from Mugu Lagoon to Malibu Creek. Every bulldozing operation brings their bones and artifacts to light, as one did just across Broad Beach Road from us - a dozen huddled skeletons, four or five hundred years old, talking no notice of their noisy resurrection.  Our germanium garden, falling to Encinal Creek, is sure to be a burial ground, the gofers tell us.  Mary Austin writes of the residue of personality that always haunts a place once inhabited by man.  Jeffers' poetry is full of these hauntings.  But I cannot say that I have encountered sprits here on the Malibu.  Perhaps the diesels drive them away.  I have no fear of them however.  The Chumash were a gentle people, living on shell fish, roots, and acorn meal.  We who are carnivorous may leave a different residue.  Sometimes I wonder who will follow us here, and what they will make of our artifacts - books on discs ... and less tangible, though perhaps more lasting, our love for this marine mountainscape this world called the Malibu.

From the book Writing Los Angeles

I'm sorry I failed to write down the year he wrote this and the ... is a couple missing words.

LIBRARIANSHIP QUESTIONABLE

"When is the last time YOU had a conversation with a librarian who loves to read herself and gave you a personal recommendation to a book?

The days of calling long distance and asking a research librarian to help you orient or find things in their collection may be over and so maybe should the very expensive library science masters degree because I fail to see how on the job this speciality major is truly necessary."