Philosophy
Trashy programmer Fox Television should reconsider their onair thoughts.
Chicago's public library commissioner has hit back at a report on Fox News that suggested libraries are a "waste of tax money", saying that the argument posed by the story was a "non-starter" and a contributor who suggested salaries in the public sector were higher than those in the private sector was "simply wrong".
Last week's Fox News slot on Chicago's libraries saw the rightwing American television channel question whether they were still needed. "There are 799 public libraries in Illinois. And they're busy. People borrow more than 88m times a year. But keeping libraries running costs big money. In Chicago, the city pumps $120m a year into them. A full 2.5% of our yearly property taxes go to fund them. That's money that could go elsewhere – like for schools ... police or pensions," the Fox report said. "Libraries are quiet havens for the community. They can take you to another world ... But should these institutions – that date back to 1900 BC – be on the way out?"
Now, the Chicago public library commissioner, Mary A Dempsey, has responded, saying that she was "astounded at the lack of understanding" the Fox report showed and pointing to the 12m visitors that Chicago's public libraries receive every year, the 10m items checked out from the libraries' 74 locations in 2009 and the 3.8m free one-hour internet sessions the people of Chicago used last year.
She took particular issue with an "undercover" section of the report, which counted about 300 visitors using the Harold Washington library over the course of one hour. "Most of them were using the free internet. The bookshelves weren't so busy," said Fox.
"Your 'undercover cameras' shots were taken in a series of stacks devoted to bound periodicals used for reference. Next time, try looking at the circulating collections throughout the building," responded Dempsey in a letter to Fox.
"The public library is supported by taxpayers for the common good of all the people of Chicago – just like public school. We don't ask our schools to make profit. Neither should we ask it of the public library," she said. "As journalist Walter Cronkite once remarked, 'Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation.'"
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Philosophy
Fox Television's "library" statement
Trashy programmer Fox Television should reconsider their onair thoughts.
"US libraries hit back at Fox News"
Chicago official 'astounded' after report on channel questions spending of public money on libraries
by
Alison Flood
July 8th, 2010
guardian.co.uk
Chicago official 'astounded' after report on channel questions spending of public money on libraries
by
Alison Flood
July 8th, 2010
guardian.co.uk
Chicago's public library commissioner has hit back at a report on Fox News that suggested libraries are a "waste of tax money", saying that the argument posed by the story was a "non-starter" and a contributor who suggested salaries in the public sector were higher than those in the private sector was "simply wrong".
Last week's Fox News slot on Chicago's libraries saw the rightwing American television channel question whether they were still needed. "There are 799 public libraries in Illinois. And they're busy. People borrow more than 88m times a year. But keeping libraries running costs big money. In Chicago, the city pumps $120m a year into them. A full 2.5% of our yearly property taxes go to fund them. That's money that could go elsewhere – like for schools ... police or pensions," the Fox report said. "Libraries are quiet havens for the community. They can take you to another world ... But should these institutions – that date back to 1900 BC – be on the way out?"
Now, the Chicago public library commissioner, Mary A Dempsey, has responded, saying that she was "astounded at the lack of understanding" the Fox report showed and pointing to the 12m visitors that Chicago's public libraries receive every year, the 10m items checked out from the libraries' 74 locations in 2009 and the 3.8m free one-hour internet sessions the people of Chicago used last year.
She took particular issue with an "undercover" section of the report, which counted about 300 visitors using the Harold Washington library over the course of one hour. "Most of them were using the free internet. The bookshelves weren't so busy," said Fox.
"Your 'undercover cameras' shots were taken in a series of stacks devoted to bound periodicals used for reference. Next time, try looking at the circulating collections throughout the building," responded Dempsey in a letter to Fox.
"The public library is supported by taxpayers for the common good of all the people of Chicago – just like public school. We don't ask our schools to make profit. Neither should we ask it of the public library," she said. "As journalist Walter Cronkite once remarked, 'Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation.'"
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"Texas library offers glimpse of bookless future" by Paul J. Weber January 4th, 2014 USA TODAY Texas has seen the future of the public library, and it looks a lot like an Apple Store: Rows of glossy iMacs beckon. iPads mounted on a tangerine-colored...
- Library Fees?
"Rethinking Government: Why We Need Library Rental Fees" by Barry Greenfield July 21st, 2011 The Atlantic As a municipal official (selectman) and taxpayer, I often wonder why government evenly distributes taxes when there are clearly ways to lower...
- No Books For Newport Beach Library?
"Tomes' time might be up at Newport Beach library" The city is considering closing its original library and replacing it with a community center that would offer all the same features — except for the books. by Mike Reicher March 29th, 2011 Los...
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"They're in the business, fundamentally, of making money,"..."That's what drives their decisions — and that's not what libraries have been all about." "Private company to take over Camarillo's public library" The city hopes to spend...
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The American Library Association (ALA), in cooperation with the Space Telescope Science Institute, Office of Public Outreach, Baltimore, Maryland, and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Massachusetts, invited public libraries to apply...