• Spring

THE TRUSTEE: WINTER 2004-5

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• President's Column: Ten Lessons Learned From A Library Election
• From The Editor's Desk
• Trustee Institute Set for April 29-30, 2005
• Bill Taber: The Empty Boot -- Experience With Censorship
• "Red Budget" Or "Green Budget"
• Assemblywoman Sandy Galef's Column
• Senator Hugh Farley's Column
• Tech Central
• New Century Libraries Leadership Meeting in NYC
• New Archives and Library Facility Opens
• NYSALB At NYLA
• NYSALB Board & TRUSTEE Ownership

By Dr. Norman J. Jacknis, NYSALB President

As many of you know, I'm a trustee of the 117 year-old Field Library in Peekskill, New York. Like many other association libraries, we have been dependent upon handouts and support from the governments in the area we serve. A significant part of that support comes from the City of Peekskill.

For all the reasons that you've read in this column before - including the uncertainty of funding, the resulting “hat-in-hand” relationship with local officials, and the State Education Department DLD studies indicating the potential for greater financial support - we decided to take the plunge and go directly to Peekskill's voting public in this past November's Presidential Election. To make the challenge greater, we also wanted the voters to increase by $20,000 the amount of money the City had been giving us.

The story started in 2003 with presentations by Jim Farrell of DLD about the Regents' proposal to encourage public library special districts. We spent several board meetings discussing the pros and cons. A variety of concerns prevented us from going in this direction, including questions about the way boundaries of the special library district would be drawn, election of the trustees and the dissolution of the library association's assets. But the idea of going to the public for a vote on the budget was firmly planted. We then considered the two kinds of public votes - based upon school district or city - and chose to go the municipal (“414”) route.

Putting the budget up for a vote was new and risky territory for the Board of Trustees. I suspect that other boards would react the same way, so I decided to review our experience with you in the hope you might learn from it.

Lesson 1: Get Some Advice. We next went for guidance to the neighboring Mid-Hudson Library System, which had had considerably more practical experience with these votes than our own region did. This was invaluable in ensuring that technical mistakes didn't trip us up as well as helping us with the big campaign picture.

Lesson 2: Take Care With The Process. We learned that the wording of the ballot proposition had to be just so. We calculated the minimum of signatures we needed on the petitions - ten percent of the total votes for Governor in the last election and adjusted that up a bit to 500, in case some signatures were challenged. We also figured out the path to the ballot went from the city/town clerk to the County Board of Elections. The lead times were long; in our case, the County needed the ballot signed and sealed by the clerk at least 45 days before the general election.

Lesson 3: Lay The Groundwork With Municipal Officials - Early And Often. We were unsure how the Mayor and Council would react, so we first met with them in January. We explained the various options that library law made possible and sought their support, which we thought we had from most of them at that point. We also wanted to be sure that we did not fall into the “double tax” or “bait and switch” situation, where voters would think that their taxes were going up for the library, but there would be no commensurate reduction in City tax. After collecting our petition signatures in the summer, we went before a City Council working session in September, thinking we were still okay since we hadn't heard anything negative. There was a City attorney who was unfamiliar with library law, but who stepped at the last moment for the City counsel we had been working with all along. Add failing memories on the part of some Council members and the next thing we knew we were doubtful we'd get our petition on the ballot in time. With some hard work and explanations, and some good editorial support in the local newspaper, we managed to turn the situation around. And, after the election we sent a “thank you” to City officials (and to the public in our local newspapers).

Lesson 4: Libraries Don't Have The Budget Of A Presidential Campaign. We were also concerned that we didn't understand how voters would react and how they saw the library, so we considered conducting a poll - just like the pros do. After getting the non-profit discounted rate from one of the leading local colleges, we knew we couldn't raise the money needed or afford to spend it on polling, if we even had the money. That isn't all bad news, since ...

Lesson 5: A Library Campaign Is Not A Presidential Campaign. We realized that, in a Presidential Election year, a ballot proposition for libraries was not at the top of the list of voter concerns, no matter how important it was to us. In most cases, a small percentage of the people voting bother to say yes or no on propositions. (In our case, the figure was 25% or 2,723 votes.)

Lesson 6: Create A Good Database Of Targeted Voters. So, with appropriate humility and our only political stratagem in this whole process, we decided to focus on those library patrons who would vote. (Since this was a Presidential year we assumed all registered voters would vote, although that turns out not to be true - there are at least 10-15% of registered voters, we found, who no longer live where they were when they registered.) We obtained the database of library patrons from our library system and the database of voters from the County Board of Elections and then merged the two. This is not a simple or clean process. It's useful to have someone to help you who has strong computer database skills and also to purchase a mailing list software package that will help with the elimination of duplicates.

Lesson 7: Keep It In The Family. Our strategy was to mail a brochure and reminder magnet to just these voter-patron households, remind them of how important the library was to their lives and ask them to support the library budget. In an area with a very strong anti-tax bias, we deliberately chose not to arouse potential opponents, but instead keep the campaign in the family of library users.

Lesson 8: Figure Out Your Basic Message. By now, most voters know this is important in campaigns, but it is especially important for what most voters view as the relatively minor issue of library funding. In our case, since this was the first time we were putting the budget up for a vote, we emphasized the fact that the voters now had the power to decide whether or not the library was to be funded. In addition to empowering our supporters, it is even struck a resonant chord with people who think that government spends too much money.

Lesson 9: You Can Win. We've heard that library budget votes generally succeed, but still worried about our vote in part because another local library in our county had failed to get its budget passed. But win we did - by a ratio of 4 to 1.

Lesson 10: It's Not Over When It's Over. Thank everyone, even those who were lukewarm in their support - it continues to lay the groundwork for the future. More important to us, despite our heavy victory, the process of merging the patron and voter lists identified a major weakness in the community support for libraries. In what is likely true statewide, it turned out that only a minority of voter households had a library cardholder. On the other side, a large percentage of library patrons (kids excluded) were not registered to vote. We're going to be working on both sides of the problem, for, if we don't, we could face a defeat in the future if some group decided to oppose our ballot propositions.

Heading into the future of library funding, all of us will have to learn these lessons and more. If you'd like to learn more about the Peekskill experience, feel free to contact Sibyl Canaan, Field Library Director at 914-737-7110 or scanaan@wlsmail.org. If you have your own victory lessons, share them with your fellow trustees on NYSALB's email discussion group at nysalb@www.watpa.org. You can sign up by sending an email to join-nysalb@www.watpa.org. Thank you.

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By Sam Patton, Editor, NYSALB Director

First, my apologies for the lateness of this issue.  I was unable to work on it for some critical days beginning at New Years.  

We have had a wild ride from balmy temperatures to freezing rain and snow -- I hope all of you are well over the holidays, and enjoying the New Year.  

This issue has an invitation to plan on joining us for the Spring TRUSTEE Institute in Syracuse/Liverpool in April, and a plea for suggestions to the Nominating Committee for new members of the NYSALB Board.  Please give both these your careful consideration.  As we have seen in the Budget development, it is important to let our representatives in Albany know just how critical library funding is to all New Yorkers, and your involvement with NYSALB will help get that done.

I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in Syracuse in April.

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By Martina Thompson, NYSALB First Vice President

The Ninth Annual Trustee Institute will take a little bit of your time and provide you with a very big opportunity to share and learn with other trustees from across the state.  The Institute begins Friday evening, April 29, 2005, at 6 pm and concludes at 3 pm on Saturday afternoon.  The location is conveniently located opposite Thruway exit 37 at the Holiday Inn Syracuse/Liverpool, New York.  

Friday evening's program will include the opportunity to learn about the success of other trustees as well as information about the Patriot Act and other national legislation that affects libraries.  On Saturday, two sets of concurrent programs will be offered.  For new trustees there is "basic" training, only much more enjoyable than "boot camp".  Do you know what a blog is? Do you want one at your library? We have a program that will discuss new technologies and what to look for that will help enhance your library's service to its community.  

How do we secure reliable funding for our libraries and library systems? Will creating a special district library be your answer to this question? Trustees who have utilized this option will share information about avenues to success and pitfalls to avoid.  We will also have local and state legislators presenting a discussion of the political situation in Albany and what trustees can do to help secure funding for library services.  

In addition to all these programs, there will still be time to do some sightseeing.  The Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse contains a canal boat and a rare example of a weigh station.  The village of Liverpool is home to the Saint Marie Among the Iroquois Living History Museum, and the village of Skaneateles is a short forty minute drive away.  

Registration brochures will be mailed March 1, 2005.  NYSALB members who mail early will receive two discounts.  You may also register on line at www.nysalb.org.  

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By Dr. William R. Taber, NYSALB Director

I think that during the near future, and perhaps for much longer, the public libraries of this country will face increasingly forceful attempts to make them adapt their library policies to the prejudices and agendas of outside groups.  This is nothing new, but the present structural merging of the self-interests of political, corporate, ideological, and religious powers in this country make an increase of censorship attempts nearly inevitable, even if some fissures should develop within the present coalitions on various issues.  

When I was in high school, and the time came to write the senior thesis, I was interested in the Revolutionary War; as our area and my ancestors were intensely involved in it.  To me, the most complex mystery of the times was the curious and awful career of Benedict Arnold, who was an authentic hero of the Revolution, became a trusted and respected general officer, then betrayed his cause and his people, and was deservedly hated for it.  I am sure that my ancestors willingly and personally would have executed him for it had they been given the opportunity.  I saw Arnold as a series of psychological and sociological puzzles and contradictions that would be interesting to unravel and that would be revealing of and relevant to our history.  His memorial, the empty boot, reflects some of the ambiguities that were felt even at the time.  

I did not research nor write that thesis because my English teacher exploded with anxiety, passion, anger, and absolute refusal to permit me to research the ("terrible") topic.  I was told not to read anything more about Arnold and to go to another topic.  This was my first exposure to censorship; it set me back in surprise, and I obediently created and followed another topic (biographies of Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin) and won a prize for it.  

It was not my last experience, however, with the censor.  When I wrote my valedictory a number of months later, the same English teacher simply rejected it and handed me a prewritten speech that was more to her liking and which I was to give.  This time, my response was different; for I had been inoculated.  I told her that either I would deliver my own speech at the commencement or I would not speak at all except to explain very briefly why there would be no valedictory speech that year.  She backed down, and I gave my own speech, which was nothing out of the ordinary for high school speeches, but which was at least authentic.  

In later years, the various other attempts at censorship that I've observed or learned about seem to have some underlying similarities with this youthful experience.  

The first similarity seems to be the ingredient of passion --- a highly energetic mode of apparent intent and language and movement that shows that a significant force is being directed right at a target.  And if we are the targets, we must somehow counter or deflect the magnitude of that force if we are to resist it.  This can be intimidating; for most people are not always ready to work themselves up to the level of energy that is necessary to match the passion of a true believer on a crusade who has walked through our door with his own agenda.  That passion may be expressed in their spectacular behavior or in a tightly controlled rigidity that often seems ominous.  

It also is a clue to the intensity of emotions that are very real to the censor.  Most of us tend to defer to the intense emotions of others through our courtesy, our sympathy, our uncertainty or confusion as to "where they are coming from" intellectually, or from our anxiety about what they might do.  The passion carries with it an implied threat (and sometimes an overt threat) that things must be done their way or hell will be paid its due.  This points to another similarity.  

The certainty of their belief in the minds of censors is outstanding.  Their certainty is also intimidating to others, because you know almost instinctively that rational discussion in search of the truth of an issue or a solution to a problem is nearly impossible.  When rational discussion is impossible, most of us feel that our own options have been radically reduced, and we know that our defenses have been weakened.  

This combination of passion and the obsessive quality of their certainty is perhaps a clue to something that is less obvious.  I paraphrase Shakespeare, "He (or thou) doth protest too much!" as he recognized that appearances sometimes are constructed to conceal quite different realities.  Underlying the appearances of the censor, there seems to be an intense insecurity and fear.  If their own house of cards is not accepted and supported by all others, then the consequences will be unendurable.  All is in great danger; only rigid conformity to rules -their rules- can avoid a catastrophic disaster that looms.  

And it may be true, literally true ...  for them.  

Studies of school bullies suggest some parallels.  They note a general ineptitude of bullies in developing those cognitive and social skills (other than domination) with which most of us deal with the world and with people.  They note the insecurities within bullies that are touched painfully by events, ideas, and circumstances that most of us deal with as a matter of course.  The bully's self-image of superiority, however flawed it may appear to outsiders, is quite rewarding to them despite the punishments that their behavior may bring.  To them, the punishments may actually confirm their superiority and further hide their more painful concerns.  The superiority is also manifested in their disdain and distrust of others.  

Since the core of the censor (like that of the bully) is essentially insecurity and fright, these characteristics are also their weaknesses.  We know that, when adequately resisted or deflected, they can back down.  The key to the problem from our point of view is not to be intimidated, never to hand them a victory, and if they should get one, never to stop resisting until it is reversed.  

In truth, we have the advantage; for we actually have the higher moral ground that they so often claim for themselves.  We recognize that widespread access to knowledge and freedom of thought combined with truly objective standards of truth are values that are not based upon the fears and anxieties and fictions of an anointed few.  Our values are based rather upon the totality of human history and are the hope of the human future.  

Somewhat like General Arnold: however overwhelming may be the censor's times in the sun in the near future, he will be defeated in the long term.  Ideally, like Arnold's memorial, the censor's heritage someday will be just a note from the past and a warning to the future, another empty boot perhaps.  I wouldn't bet on it, however.  Attempts at censorship will probably be a permanent part of the human experience, but that is just another reason never to let them get the upper hand for any length of time.

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By Jane Sweet, NYSALB Director

Erie County Executive Joel Giambra presented two budgets to the Erie County Legislature in November: a Red Budget and a Green Budget, to be reviewed by December 7, 2004.  

The Red Budget would reduce the County Library system to maintenance of buildings only, thus eliminating all library services beginning January 1, 2005.  Other services to be curtailed would include: Sheriff patrols in the suburbs, snow plowing of County roads in the suburbs, cultural budgets and activities, closing of several Motor Vehicle Department offices, emergency vehicles and health services in the county.  

The Green Budget, with an increase of a 1% sales tax in the County, would allow for some, not all of the cuts to be restored.  

Michael C.  Maheny, Director of the Buffalo and Erie County Library System encouraged all library patrons to send letters, e-mails, or phone calls to their representative expressing the need to keep our libraries open.  He appeared on several talk radio shows expressing library concerns.  

The Legislature sponsored four Public Hearings.  Each hearing was attended by hundreds of citizens expressing concerns about the cutbacks.  Several Legislators attended each hearing.  

One Hearing was held at the Clarence Public Library where 300 people were in attendance, with over 120 spokespersons making statements.  Most described the many services libraries provide -- children's programs, read-a-thons, space for volunteer assistance in tax return preparing, and adult programs etc.  

All staff would be placed on unemployment, a costly line item, all buildings would stand idle, and all citizens denied use of the County Public Libraries.  

Tuesday December 7, 2005, when the Legislators must determine how to increase the finances of the County in the least detrimental manner to the citizens, will be a most significant day for us.  

In the 1960's Governor Rockefeller proposed the “CADILLAC” version of Medicaid.  At that time, Senator Ed Rath, Sr., spoke to the State Legislature and said, “This un-funded mandate will bankrupt the Counties!”  His comment is coming to fruition now.  Erie County is not the only county suffering with un-funded Medicaid mandates draining the county coffers, and threatening funding for a myriad of other essential and valuable programs.  

We can only hope other counties become aware of the potential of drastic budget cuts, which would affect their libraries.

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As the end of 2004 approaches, I am personally looking towards the new session and thinking about the goals for the library community.  

One of my top goals remains the full funding of formula based library aid as created in Chapter 917 of 1990, using the most recent census figures.  Throughout the last few months there has been a great deal of discussion about library funding, and the possibility of using discretionary aid to substitute for the short fall in years when the executive cuts funding to libraries and library systems.  I feel very strongly that to do so would be a mistake.  The library funding formula was created to provide equitable and reliable funding for libraries and library systems across the state.  If the entire Assembly were to abandon that system in favor of this more discretionary, and unstable, method of payment, it could potentially send a dangerous message that this piecemeal approach is an acceptable way to fund libraries.  

In fact, I believe that the only acceptable message to send is that we must have full formula funding for libraries and library systems.  In addition, only a restoration of the formula funding would guarantee that New York's federal library funding would remain intact, now and in the coming years.  I look forward to continuing to work with all of you next year, to improve funding and support for libraries in New York State.  

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Each December I'm inundated with wall calendars showcasing the beauty of Mother Nature, and the diverse people, places, and things which make up our planet.  The variety of these calendars can be an analogy for the many different types of libraries which serve our communities.  

There are always a couple of calendars which stand out.  A local steel fabricator provided twelve views, several quite spectacular, of its production processes.  One of the pictures shows a cost-saving innovation -- steel beams from the canal-side factory being loaded on barges for delivery directly to a downstream bridge construction project.  

If one of New York's manufacturing industries, an endangered species by any measure, can stand out, then surely so can any of our libraries.  

The many governance options for New York's public libraries reflect the ultimate absence of "state mandates."   On the plus side, this gives libraries tremendous freedom to select a form of governance best suited to each local community.  On the minus side, the lack of consistent form leaves over a million New Yorkers without library service.  

Does library governance really matter?  Anecdotes say that it does, and, based on this, the Board of Regents recommends the public library district coterminous with a school district as a best practice model.  But, regardless of the form of governance, all libraries eventually need to "sell" their needs to a funding body or directly to their taxpayers.  

Nationally published multi-year studies of public votes on library referenda have found overall success rates ranging from 43% to 82%.  Voters are positive on renovations and expansion of existing facilities and operations, while voting "no" on most proposals to build new facilities.  Interestingly, a significant measure of success in one of the multi-year studies was the involvement of a "campaign consultant" -- a professional "cheerleader" for the library.  Seventy percent of the proposals with "high consultant involvement" passed, with an average 72% "yes" vote, while fewer than half (48%) of the proposals without professional involvement passed, and these averaged only 58% "yes" votes.  

This is a worthwhile lesson.  Governance matters.  The subject of the funding request matters.  But what also matters a great deal is the extent of "cheerleading" for the library.  Funders -- be they voters in a library district or a municipality's budget committee -- need information, and they will reward enthusiasm.  

Like my local manufacturer, enthusiasm and innovation can make your library stand out.  

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