Library Reform Group




		Background

		In the summer of 2004 the Providence Public Library (PPL) made a series of disastrous decisions. 21 librarians and clerks were laid off. The Reference section of the Central library was decimated: its staff of 14 reference librarians was reduced to 6. In August the union custodians were fired and replaced by a private cleaning service. The hours of the Central Library were severely reduced eliminating most weekdays evening and closing the library on Sundays. At the same time the cuts were made in staff and hours, the PPL decided to remodel the Central Library and created for book keeping purposes two separate entities, a greatly weakened reference center and the new "Empire Street branch with the popular collections. At the cost of $200,000 the entrance on Washington Street was closed, the entrance on Empire Street was opened and the popular collections moved to a newly renovated 1st floor. These decisions were made behind closed doors with no input from the public. When the public learned about the plans and layoffs they were very upset. In June 2000 library patrons signed a petition asking that the PPL hold a public meeting before going ahead with its plans. In July and August more than 200 people demonstrated at the library asking for a meeting on the proposed changes. Dozens of library users wrote letters to the Director and the board members. There was no response to any of these requests for a public meeting.

		Formation

		At this point, frustrated with our inability to have any affect on library decisions, a group of library advocates from across the city decided to form an advocacy group, The Library Reform Group, to work on the state and city level to open the library decisions to public and make the library more responsive to the community. In existence since the fall of 2004, The Library Reform Group brings to the community news of what is happening or not happening at the PPL and galvanizes public support for reform of the library, through petitions, letter writing and public meetings.

		Achievements

		Open meetings. Although the Providence Public Library receives more than 60 % of its operating budget from the City of Providence and State of RI, it is a private corporation that traditionally operated behind closed doors. In 2005 The Library Reform Group went to the Rhode Island General Assembly to ask that libraries which receive taxpayer's money be subject to the Open Meetings Act which requires that all governmental agencies give notice of their meetings and to allow the public and press to attend. With the help of Senator Rhoda Perry and Representative Gordon Fox, the Majority Leader of the House, who sponsored bills, a law was passed in the summer of 2005 which forced the Providence Public Library to open its meetings to the public. Getting a second public member on the Board. The By laws of the Providence Public Library provides for a board of up to 33 members, only two of whom are representatives of the public; a representative of the Mayor and a representative of the Governor. Although the Mayor was represented at the PPL by the city solicitor, the Governor had never appointed a representative to the board. The Library Reform Group, utilizing letters and cards from the public repeatedly called on the Governor to appoint a representative. Finally in August 2005 the Governor filled his appointment, now giving the public two publicly appointed representatives on a board of 33. Focusing public attention on the Providence Public Library. One of the big problems with the Providence Public Library is that it has operated in complete secrecy. Now thanks to the Open meetings laws, the clamor that the public has raised over the PPL's bad policy decisions and the Library Reform's group systematic notification to the press of upcoming library meetings, public demonstrations and press conferences the Providence Public Library is now front page news. The library can no longer make policy in secret. Reporters regularly keep the public informed of what is happening. Reforming the governance of the PPL. Although the city of Providence is the largest donor to the Providence Public Library giving $3,000,000 (37%) of the PPL's operating budget) the Library continues to be disdainful of community needs, closing branches with no consultation or notice to elected city officials or the public. The City had absolutely no input into library policy or actions. PPL was adamant in its opposition to having publicly appointed members representing the community sit on its board. In Sept 2005, The Library Reform Group, working with Councilman David Segal and the members of the City Council's Finance Committee, initiated a council ordinance which tied public funding to board representation - making 8 of the 33 board members public appointees a condition of continued city funding. This ordinance passed the full City Council unanimously on March 2005, but its necessary second passage was postponed in the face of the PPL's threat it jettison all of the branches and the Mayor's decision to broker a year's time in which to work out the future governance of the PPL. Our goal was not completely achieved but it was the stimulus for the Steinberg Report which laid the groundwork for the discussion now taking place between the PPL and the City in the Municipal Library Working Group. Keeping the Branches open. In April 2006 the Library announced that it was closing 6 of the 9 neighborhood branches. The Library Reform Group, working with "Save our Branches," went to the public. We helped organize a 3,000 person petition, which was presented to both the Library board and the Providence City Council. A rally against branch closing was held at the Central Library in May, a postcard campaign calling for both the retention of the 9 branches and the addition of public members to the PPL board brought hundreds of postcards to the Mayor's office and the homes of PPL board members. Against this background of public protest, the Steinberg Report commissioned by the Mayor called for the retention of all the branches for fiscal 07. The library backed down from its plan to jettison most of the branches. However, in one neighborhood, Washington Park, the branch library was shut and service was reduced to 20 hours per week and then only for children in an inadequate nearby building.

		Goals

		Reforming the Governance. The governance of the PPL needs to be changed so that there is substantial public presence on the library's governing board. Keeping the Branches. Branches provide essential services and safe havens for neighborhood residents and are often the only sources of education and pleasure for people of all ages. All of the nine neighborhood branches of the PPL must be maintained. Strengthening of Library's Reference Services.The reference department of the PPL is a unique resource in the state and constitutes the heart of the Central Library. Its special collections provide the backbone of scholarly research and community knowledge for Rhode Islanders. No other institution in the city or state provides this service. The library must continue to support a strong reference department, with adequate staff and resources to maintain all of its special collections, which together constitute an important cultural resource for all the citizens of Rhode Island. Increasing the Book Budget.Books are the heart of a library. Libraries offer the only place in the community where an individual can browse the book stacks, explore books dealing with various areas of learning or offering pleasurable reading, and then be able to borrow these books in order to continue to read for self-improvement and pleasure at home. Increasing the book budget for the Central Library and all neighborhood branches should be a priority.