Comments on: Four Seats Open on Ann Arbor Library Board

By: David Diephuis

David Diephuis — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 00:39:14 +0000

@7 David, IF the numbers mentioned in the article are reflective of 2012 fiscal year stats, then the 1.6 million visits reported are 137,000 LESS than in fiscal year 2011, down by 7.8% AND also less than the number of visits reported for the 2008 fiscal year.

But even if those numbers are correct, if we go back further, library system usage has increased substantially since the time before the new branches, up by more than 50%.

I hope the AADL publishes their 2012 annual report soon. It will help in evaluating the “case” for a new downtown library.

By: David Cahill

David Cahill — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 19:01:04 +0000

Eric, you are wrong on the merits. The electronic revolution has already happened in the Library. Nonetheless, circulation of objects (books, DVDs, etc.) continues to rise, and so does the number of people going in the doors.

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 02:41:56 +0000

Ouch, librarians are not overpaid, are well-trained good people, and in libraries is the future of civilization. Just look how things ran down after the Alexandria library burned. Mend it, don’t end it.

Also, my mother was a librarian.

By: Eric

Eric — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 00:46:37 +0000

So “activities” are going to replace the collection as the focus of the library? What “activities”? Why should the taxpayers fund white elephant buildings and overpaid employees with toilet paper library science degrees to run a ragbag of “activities”? As the collection evaporates into cyberspace the raison d’etre of the library dies. The agenda for the next decade should be to run down and terminate the library.

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 16:22:13 +0000

I ran for the AADL board in 2010 because I wanted to be involved in a community service position, and because I had some differences with the current board’s directions. I also ran because the incumbents had not filed and it was not clear that there would be a full slate of candidates. This had nearly happened in a prior election, where Jean King filed on the last day, then resigned shortly thereafter so that she could be replaced. I was amused to see that the incumbents did not leave any such ambiguity this time, so perhaps I performed a service by making it clear that nature and politics abhor a vacuum.

There are a number of policy directions, including the move toward a library focused on activities rather than collections, the replacement of the downtown library building (if the bond does not pass, what then?), and the involvement in the disposition of the Library Lot, that are all legitimate issues for a competitive campaign. I’m sure there are others.

By: Nelson

Nelson — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 16:04:50 +0000

There’s nothing quite so American as making up your mind before you know all of the facts.

By: Lyn Davidge

Lyn Davidge — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 15:37:40 +0000

Excuse me? As one of the potential candidates who attended the information meeting, I must take exception to your comment, Mr. Cahill. I am completely serious in considering a candidacy, as I must believe you were when you decided to run for AADL Board. There are 4 Board positions up for election this year. As of Friday morning, Aug. 10, only the 4 incumbents had filed. They are all hard working public servants who seem to care deeply and sincerely about the library and the community. So I mean no disrespect to them when I say that I believe unopposed elections are not in the best interest of democracy. The voters deserve always to have a choice, to have alternatives for each office when they step into the voting booth. Personally, I would love to see 8 names on the AADL ballot in November!

By: David Cahill

David Cahill — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 00:59:42 +0000

I doubt if there will be any serious candidates running against this winning team.