Archive: Opinions

The Lansing school libraries cannot and will not function as public libraries. Contrary to "facts" that have circulated in the past, none of the school libraries in our BOCES (Candor, Newfield, Ithaca, Trumansburg, South Seneca, Groton, or Dryden) serves as a public library. In fact, each of these communities has a public library. I know this, because as the teacher-librarian at Lansing Middle School, I contacted all the librarians of all the schools in our BOCES and asked.

School libraries cannot serve the public for many reasons including the following:

• Library collection - it is specific for our curriculum and school library patrons. Each of our schools serves a specific school-aged population. We do not have books for toddlers, our movies and audio books support the curriculum, we don't have family movies, the adult books are limited at Buckley elementary and the middle school to those relevant to teachers. The high school library also has a professional collection for their teachers and has a limited adult fiction collection appropriate for high school students. General interest non-fiction subjects like personal finance, home repair, divorce, etc are not represented in the print and media collections at our school libraries. Some subjects just aren’t relevant, or in some cases, appropriate for students.
• Budget constraints - we are funded by the tax payers and the state specifically for our students and teachers for educational purposes. Our budgets are limited and our purchases must support the curriculum.
• Space - even if someone donated library materials suitable for the general public or the money to buy them, we just don't have the space.
• Public Access - this brings up many issues.

• Space is one of them - our libraries are full of students most of each day. We don't have room for people coming in from outside.
• Safety and security- how do we cope if the public is allowed free access to our schools and libraries? As a parent and employee, the idea of free access for strangers makes me uncomfortable.
• Computers - all staff and students must sign an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) in order to receive a log on so they can access their computer account. School district employees (secretaries and microcomputer specialists) would have to spend time handling the paperwork and creating accounts for members of the community. Our employees are already very, very busy with their school duties.  It costs manpower and money to provide computer access to the public. As it is, we have more students wanting to use computers than we have computers available.  We lease our computer equipment through a BOCES CoSer, because it enables us to receive state aid. I'm not sure if under the terms of the CoSer the public would be allowed access. We don't have the resources required for the general public to have computer access.
• Library hours - School libraries are only open during school hours on school days.  Schools are closed late afternoons, evenings, weekends, vacations, and during the summer. There is no funding for hiring a librarian, library clerk, or the required custodial staff to keep the libraries open.
• Our teacher-librarians and library clerks are busy with students and teachers during the day. Who would help the public when they came into the library? Who would get priority? Our students and teachers or a member of the public?

The Lansing Community Library is a wonderful facility that provides resources and services to the public close to home. It's a bargain, too! Let's hope that the public is wise enough to vote "NO" next week!


From: Kathy McHugh