Library focus on survival
-Greenwood reaching out to public hearts
-Future delivery method of knowledge in question
By Allen Watts
Lesson’s for the public and Johnson County voters is in Greenwood Library. Lessons on how to properly handle finances in a public knowledge center. Lessons on how to NOT lie to the public, to build a larger multimillion library. Most importantly, lessons on how to be humble enough to ask properly for help.
Greenwood Library has gone through the ropes of despair and cutting operating cost. The operating flesh has been cut - the cutting has run deep enough to show bone. That is a metaphor of course. Nonetheless, Greenwood is now a template for others to operate by, using less than you want. They have become a instruction on how to succeed in a time of “Making do – with less”.
The library is asking for help for anyone and any entity. Help with book donation, funding assistance or your time. Greenwood Library is hoping to starve off the possibility of shrinking more in services and materials to offer.
In this day of uncertainty, it is most delightful to see a public entity openly and honestly place before its peers the truth! The Library is in financial trouble, not due to miss-appropriations. Instead, the Library is a victim of learning to continue on less. Just like every American is finding out how to do. So must Greenwood Public Library.
You can and should attend the Board meetings, learning about the true situation of local libraries and how they play a role in today’s society.
Greenwood Library is the only local area library that is openly showing the effects of today’s economy. After months of difficult cuts and trimming operating cost, Greenwood library shows the public the harrowing truth. The outlook for the future is uncertain.
If you the public, wish to have Greenwood continue to operate with progress and replenishing
supplies with up-to-date material. Then it is time for you to help, the help can be in many forms and not limited to monetary donation.
However, any gifts of such would most certainly be appreciated.
A library is privilege to have in our communities. A library is a place where archived materials can be found, and the importance of such a place has been in existence for the time of mans existence. Writings on cave walls was some of the first archived printings of a library. A place where knowledge could be preserved for others to absorb and learn. The earliest cave dweller knew this, and we as a civilized society know that presently.
The path of the future of archived libraries is changing. Digital material is taking over societies across the globe. Paper printing is becoming obsolete. Evidence of this is in Indiana new laws that allow schools to NOT teach cursive writing.
Where and how our future libraries end up is totally up to the consumer of knowledge, your child. The present trend and seemingly preferred method, is to absorb knowledge in the form of digital delivery.
I rarely inject my person opinion, however I see a future for the storage of knowledge. The method of storage and retrieval is in question. The term Library most certainly will be in a new form that is alien to those of us now. The library will hold few if no books.
It is prudent that Libraries prepare for the future and rely on electronic devices and updating for such. Like Star Trek Spock standing in front of a universe of galactic knowledge base computer, learning what the universe has to offer. So will our future change for mankind. Spock has no need for a “Book”, note pads, laptop and tablets as the method of learning.
Our technology allows for the space holding the knowledge in Greenwood Library, to be condensed down to the size of a few microchips. A shoe box of micro chips could presently carry the entire stock of material at the library.
The library savvy of our world already is pushing more for E-book and E-library use. That is the future with a central database and you can access knowledge in China in Seconds then retrieve a report in Russia the very next second.
Schools are using electronic lessons that students download in place of cumbersome books.
The classic Mark Twain or Shakespeare can presently and easily found in a e-data-base. So why the hoopla for “Books”. The real need is for a learning/storage center of knowledge.
Library “books” are eventually going to a museum. That fact may happen quicker than many expect with the advent of affordable tablets these days.
Donation of older computers possibly an option for “knowledge
outlet stations”.
Why not take all the discarded computers and start a futuristic library with outlet stations of electronic delivery. Forget the Hard binded book and steer toward the future. That’s just a suggestion, but I believe that is the where Libraries are going to end up anyway. People can carry a hundred books in one tablet or net-book. Those smart enough to transition to support this type on media (and deliery) will survive.
There are Libraries who choose to deceive the Public:
However, Johnson County Library is not following honesty and openness. There are other library’s which choose attempting to deceive the public and ask those who need every extra dollar to allow them to waste and splurge on luxury things not really needed at this present time. Johnson County Library board is a poor example of leadership. The public is seeing Greenwood Library struggle and which openly asks the public for help. Johnson County Library Board leaders are asking for more than they need and want to spend when they should be conserving for the future.