Houston Public Library Needs Your Support

Hey everyone!

A family emergency and the subsequent attempts to get back on my feet – which included a bit of make-up work – has precluded me from getting much reading or writing done this past month. Fortunately, I managed to set everything back on track this afternoon. And just in time to fill people in on what’s going on with the Houston Public Library, too.

Starting on April 17th, budget cuts at HPL forced the institution to scale back on its hours at all locations. More information on the ins and outs of the decision can be found right on their website, so there is little need to really delve into all of the details here on Burning Leaves. At first, I was content to show my appreciation through donating books to the Friends of the Houston Public Library, rearranging my schedule so I could volunteer at the downtown branch (as it is right here in my neighborhood), and writing a letter to the mayor and my local City Council representative requesting that they find some way of maintaining the original hours without contending with debt. Perhaps better empowering Houstonians to donate their used books, movies, and CDs, organize book drives, volunteer their time, sign up for donation programs at Kroger or Randalls, and/or patronize the Annual Book Sale and Children’s Book Sale as well.

After all…the library does so much for our community. In its time of need, we should band together and do what we can to give back in whatever way we can.

Nobody realizes this more than Gretchen, whose attempt to mobilize Houstonians towards taking an active role in keeping the library open inspired me to approach the issue from a more inclusive, communal standpoint. By making more people aware of the situation, Gretchen’s discussion opened up readers’ eyes to the various ways in which the new hours will impact the city. The open dialogue format also led to some more detailed possible solutions as well. Taking everyone’s opinions into consideration, I offered to write up a form letter for time-crunched people to copy and paste into e-mails, letters, or faxes. Quite a bit of passion went into the responses left on Gretchen’s forum, and my most earnest gratitude goes out to everyone who participated. Thank you very much to everyone who participated! And, of course, to everyone who may participate in the future…

For those interested in showing how much they love the library by fighting to find a viable means of maintaining their original hours, I am reprinting the form letter right here. I did what I could to incorporate all of the concerns and suggestions mentioned in the talk.

Please remember to read over and customize the letter with the date, your name and contact information, the recipient’s name and any personal anecdotes or issues. If you do not know who your City Council representative is, please check the City of Houston’s eGovernment Center for a quick, painless means of snagging all the information you need. Contact information for Mayor Annise Parker can be found right here for those who would like to voice their concerns to her as well.

For the sake of transparency, this particular entry will also be cross-posted at the multipartisan, multidenominational social justice blog PR Unfriendly as well. I welcome any suggestions you may have on ways to improve the form letter. And if any of you have written up any letters of your own and would like to share, I would very much like to read them! So feel free to leave those in the comments section if you’d like! Or you can express any opinions that were not covered in the form letter…or your experiences with the Houston Public Library…or, you know, pretty much anything so long as you stay civil.

Thank you everyone for anything and everything you may do to rally behind this intellectual and social necessity.

~Meredith

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To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing you to express my apprehension regarding the new hours at the Houston Public Library. While I fully understand the reasoning behind the decision, I believe that such a move will ultimately send negative reverberations throughout the city. In 2008, 797,603 Houstonians[1] circulated an average of 18,205 books, movies, and musical recordings[2] and took advantage of the 956 public access computers[3]. A further 263,748 attended the diverse selection of programs[4] as well – fully solidifying its role as an absolutely integral facet of our community. To cut back on the libraries’ hours is to deny the citizenry myriad opportunities to engage and improve itself.

Even looking beyond the complimentary intellectual and creative stimulation bursting promisingly from the shelves, the free computer usage offers local children and teenagers from economically deprived areas many of the resources needed to complete their academic assignments. The after school and weekend programs provide them with a nurturing environment that facilitates personal growth and teaches them how to channel their energies into positive activities. Unemployed or homeless adults can take advantage of the free internet access to make valuable connections that will help them greatly improve their lives and become productive members of society. Every additional hour the library closes only further marginalizes the demographics needing its services the most. Without access to computers, internet, financial guidance, and activities, they lack the most essential resources required to better their lives and must contend with intensified frustration and hopelessness.

I realize the Houston Public Library’s decision was not made with the intention of shoving its most desperate patrons towards the fringes of society, but that stands as the most unfortunate and dire consequence. To resolve it, I support a contemporary’s proposition for a 1¢ per $100 valuation tax for libraries and propose a reevaluation of budget to discover the best route towards providing the populace the services necessary to finish homework, network to find jobs and homes, and grow into well-adjusted individuals who contribute to the community. I also believe that far more attention should be paid to the institution’s plight as a means of empowering Houstonians to take action. Open up to us. Let us know – in detail – everything you struggle with and what we as a people can do to give back to the organization that has already given us so much. Such transparency will encourage us to pool our time, money, and resources and make sure that all of the libraries’ needs are met without compromising their core goals and amazingly helpful services.

Thank you very much for your time.

Sincerely,

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[1] “Library Facts.” Houston Public Library. Web. 19 Apr. 2010. <http://www.hpl.lib.tx.us/library-facts>.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

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