It was too bad in my mind that the Jackson County Library system had federal support for all these years. Not that it hurt the county in the immediate sense. (The money raised from timber sales actually made it unnecessary for the county to have a property tax during part of the 1950's and 1960's on personal homes!)
But in the long-term it engendered a mentality that "free money" from Washington could help keep the portals to knowledge and open access to all citizens open. There is no free lunch. Most communities find it within themselves to pony up for some library system. Because the county relied so much on transfer payments, we took a valuable resource for granted. Last November, the citizens of Jackson County voted down Measure 15-66 to fund the current library system through an increase in the property tax. It would not have been a small increase--a couple hundred dollars for most upper-end homes per year. But consider the price that is paid when all fifteen of the libraries will close in April--and it appears they will, barring the success of either Oregon Senators Gordon Smith (R) and Ron Wyden (D) will have in bringing their colleagues to extend the revenue replacement money. (Senator Smith today announced he may filibuster the Senate on a massive spending bill when it comes to the floor in order to draw attention to the detrimental effect this is having on many Oregon counties. )
If our county and other once timber-dependent Oregon counties like Jackson had had to pay locally for our libraries (and our jails and other law enforcement entities which got "O & C revenue) then we would probably still have the small and compact Carnegie libraries in Medford and Ashland. And maybe small communities like Phoenix and Jacksonville and Rouge River would have to make to with house-sized libraries attached to city halls). But at least the libraries, modest and crowded and short on hours as they might be, would at least be open to serve the community and make it possible for all citizens to have access to the latest periodicals and best-sellers and how-to and classic books no matter what their age and income.
As it stands now, the county will spend one million dollars (according to the Medford Mail Tribune) to close the libraries and mothball the books and computers and magazines and such.) This to me is a sad event. A community can get along without libraries perhaps, but a free public library is a hallmark of a advanced civilization--with it one can learn at any age. Now, at least for a time, books will be available only to those who pay for them--and the available knowledge base of our area will be the worse for it.
I also would like to add this comment about libraries in general--from the Jackson County Library Website-- because it relates directly to how people view libraries today and what has changed (and not changed) about the need for the old bricks and mortar library. (See below)
Hasn't the Internet Replaced the Need for Libraries ?
January 22nd, 2007 infolib
The Internet is a wonderful resource and a great convenience, but it’s far from perfect. It’s not “all on the Internet.†And even if it were, it would not be available to everyone for the following reasons:need a computer and an Internet connection to access the information on the world wide web - not everyone can afford these. In addition, many Americans still live in places where Internet access is not readily available, or is available, for reasonable cost, only at very low speeds.
Many of the best information sources on the Internet are available for fee only, and thus out of the reach of most individual users. Libraries provide economical access to important, for pay, resources, which may be shared by many users. Despite the world wide web’s ability to serve up massive amounts of information at the touch of a key, many Internet users lack the skills to winnow out relevant information from the pile, and to determine the reliability, authority and safety of the information retrieved. Librarians are knowledgeable about specialized Internet resources, and can assist or guide patrons in the successful navigation of these.
Information is not knowledge. Many of the top “computer people†in the nation recognize the ongoing value of the public library. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has invested millions of dollars in grants to public libraries in recent years, a clear indication that they feel that computer and Internet technology has an important role to play in libraries, rather than in replacing libraries. The Gates Foundation has funded several studies to assess the role public libraries play in providing equality of access to information. Two studies are online: Toward Equality of Access: The Role of Public Libraries in Addressing the Digital Divide. and Public Libraries and the Internet 2006: Study Results and Findings .
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