FOCUS OF VALUE, FOCUS ON PEOPLE, FOCUS ON PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Public libraries nationwide should focus on the role we are playing in meeting the needs of our customers today and in the future, when speaking with public officials. The national policy makers in Washington need to know how valuable the community library is in the economic recovery and global economics. Social, workforce and economic agencies have now told everyone applying for assistance of any type, that they need to apply on line through e-government. With everyone in Congress focusing on Broadband, they forget that there is a large section of people who have no computers or access to the internet except by going to the local library. Many people do not know how to use the computer, some people are illiterate and cannot read or have language barriers. When social service agencies save money by not providing the personal service and requiring clients to submit applications online as well as scheduling appointments, the only recourse their clients have is the 'Public Library'. Yet nationally and statewide politicians continue to cut funding for Public Libraries. We have tremendous value, we provide unfunded services for the community. Politicians should be taking 5% of all social service dollars and sending them to the public libraries across the County to continue providing service to all persons.

Jeff Rosenberg
Miami-Dade Public Library System
rosenbergj@mdpls.org