On Friday, August 1st, 2008, the City of Long Beach announced the proposed 2009 balanced budget which includes a plan to CLOSE THE MAIN LIBRARY located at Pacific and Ocean in downtown Long Beach.
"CLOSED" as in no public access.
City Hall says this is a "temporary" situation until a new library location/building is found. However, no details have been provided on the plans or timing for a process that often takes years. (The new Mark Twain Neighborhood Library took over four years from planning to doors opening!)
Closing Main Library will mean that the vital resources and services provided to residents city-wide, will no longer be available.
City Hall claims there is "no choice" and that closure to the public must happen immediately due to the condition of the aging, leaking building. However, no public information or documentation has been provided regarding an immediate health and safety concern to validate this argument. In fact, the current plan calls for administration staff to remain in the building.
The trade-off is to add hours to the eleven branch libraries and create a temporary computer/homework center downtown. We are deeply concerned that these solutions do not address the needs of the 500,000 annual visitors to Main Library, the disabled community, the seniors, and the 28,000 children served by Main. Main Library IS the neighborhood library for the downtown area.
We, the people of Long Beach, have less than ONE MONTH, to make our voices heard. The City Council will vote on the budget by September 15th, with the budget going into effect on October 1st, 2008 and the library closing THIS NOVEMBER!!!
This blog has been created by library supporters, to provide you with details as we learn them, as well as concrete facts about the Long Beach Public Library and the services and PEOPLE who will be affected by this decision.
The City of Long Beach is definitely facing hard times and tough choices, but this solution for balancing the budget is unacceptable. The City has not shown the public concrete proof for the need to close Main Library this quickly without a solid, well thought out plan to address the needs of the downtown taxpayers and library patrons in the interim.
Once again the Department of Library Services is taking a huge hit (15% budget reduction), librarians are at risk of losing jobs, and sadly, this comes just a little more than a year after the Mayor and City Council restored library hours and staff!
We need your voice and your support!