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Here is the situation: Government libraries are being closed. The days and hours open are being constricted. In most cases you can get more information on the Internet at 3:00am Sunday morning than 2:00pm on a Tuesday at a government library.
At a time cops are being laid off, fire stations going on rolling brownouts (systematic closing of fire stations), when government is telling us we need high priced light bulbs--killing American jobs--can we afford running libraries like this is 1810?
"Now the company, Library Systems & Services, has been hired for the first time to run a system in a relatively healthy city, setting off an intense and often acrimonious debate about the role of outsourcing in a ravaged economy.
A $4 million deal to run the three libraries here is a chance for the company to demonstrate that a dose of private management can be good for communities, whatever their financial situation. But in an era when outsourcing is most often an act of budget desperation with janitors, police forces and even entire city halls farmed out in one town or another the contract in Santa Clarita has touched a deep nerve and begun a round of second-guessing."
How does a private firm savelibraries?
"Theres this American flag, apple pie thing about libraries, said Frank A. Pezzanite, the outsourcing companys chief executive. He has pledged to save $1 million a year in Santa Clarita, mainly by cutting overhead and replacing unionized employees. Somehow they have been put in the category of a sacred organization.
The company, known as L.S.S.I., runs 14 library systems operating 63 locations. Its basic pitch to cities is that it fixes broken libraries more often than not by cleaning house.
A lot of libraries are atrocious, Mr. Pezzanite said. Their policies are all about job security. That’s why the profession is nervous about us. You can go to a library for 35 years and never have to do anything and then have your retirement. Were not running our company that way. You come to us, you’re going to have to work.”
Again, the root cause goes back to unions.
Save the American economy and jobs--make union voluntary and stop the corruption of extortion, approved by government against workers.
More...
At a time cops are being laid off, fire stations going on rolling brownouts (systematic closing of fire stations), when government is telling us we need high priced light bulbs--killing American jobs--can we afford running libraries like this is 1810?
"Now the company, Library Systems & Services, has been hired for the first time to run a system in a relatively healthy city, setting off an intense and often acrimonious debate about the role of outsourcing in a ravaged economy.
A $4 million deal to run the three libraries here is a chance for the company to demonstrate that a dose of private management can be good for communities, whatever their financial situation. But in an era when outsourcing is most often an act of budget desperation with janitors, police forces and even entire city halls farmed out in one town or another the contract in Santa Clarita has touched a deep nerve and begun a round of second-guessing."
How does a private firm savelibraries?
"Theres this American flag, apple pie thing about libraries, said Frank A. Pezzanite, the outsourcing companys chief executive. He has pledged to save $1 million a year in Santa Clarita, mainly by cutting overhead and replacing unionized employees. Somehow they have been put in the category of a sacred organization.
The company, known as L.S.S.I., runs 14 library systems operating 63 locations. Its basic pitch to cities is that it fixes broken libraries more often than not by cleaning house.
A lot of libraries are atrocious, Mr. Pezzanite said. Their policies are all about job security. That’s why the profession is nervous about us. You can go to a library for 35 years and never have to do anything and then have your retirement. Were not running our company that way. You come to us, you’re going to have to work.”
Again, the root cause goes back to unions.
Save the American economy and jobs--make union voluntary and stop the corruption of extortion, approved by government against workers.
More...