Family/children event at Pinecrest Branch Library, Tues., 1-15-19 - Anole Invasion

Calling all local school green team members! (and others interested in our environment as well as literature).

Local author Marta E. Magellan will be at the Pinecrest branch library at 4 PM, TUESDAY, January 15, presenting her new book Anole Invasion to children ages 6-12. 

Learn about invasive lizards, green anoles.

The Pinecrest Branch Library is located at 5835 SW 111 Street, Pinecrest, 305-668-4571, on the grounds of Pinecrest Gardens off Red Road (SW 57th Avenue).

A partial victory for a literate community. Miami Herald: Miami-Dade County will no longer close any public libraries.

Miami-Dade County will no longer close any public libraries - Miami-Dade - MiamiHerald.com

The people have spoken loudly and the message was heard, partially.  There is more work to do. We cannot allow our public library system to be rendered useless through lack of access (greatly reduced operating hours).

Thank you to those who fought so hard in the Save The Miami-Dade Public Libraries Campaign and many local elected officials such as Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner (once again, Palmetto Bay officials are missing on this important issue of neighborhood protection).  There is more to do and ample opportunities to finish the fight to have a culturally literate community.

I never doubted that Miami-Dade County would find a way to keep OUR libraries open, (7/13/13, Here we go again with the same old tax time games: County may shutter 42 libraries, lay off 260 employees) but now we need to continue the work to also convince the County Commission that the programs are important as well.   169 librarians are at risk to their jobs by Oct. 1, and libraries would operate about three-quarters of the hours they do now. All libraries may see their hours and days of operation cut, including those in Cutler Bay, Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay.

All these facts are presented in the updated Miami Herald article Miami-Dade County will no longer close any public libraries (8/24/13, By Patricia Mazzei). The board is scheduled to meet Monday morning to discuss the most recent 2013-14 budget projections, following its decision last month to keep the property-tax rate flat despite the service cuts and employee layoffs that would follow as a result.

In a memo to commissioners, Gimenez said the county must consider the library department’s long-term future, including altering its funding structure. Libraries rely on taxes separately from those that go to the county’s general fund.

“To move toward a sustainable library system in the future, we must shift out perspective on how library services in Miami-Dade County are currently funded,” the mayor wrote in his memo.

I would argue that anyone who thinks libraries are irrelevant or obsolete have obviously do not have children or has not been to a library lately. Libraries (through the Librarians and Staff) provide significant programing for our readers and community in general.

Who here wants to speak up in support of illiteracy? Thank you Pinecrest for the support, you have been loud and clear, but the silence of the Palmetto Bay current electeds by not standing up for the libraries, speaks volumes. Silence is not golden on this issue.

6:00 PM Update: I was provided the URL for the Save The Miami-Dade Public Libraries blog. CLICK HERE. Thanks for the e-mail update!

 

Palmetto Bay history. Strategic planning and why the Palmetto Bay neighborhood branch library should survive the current library cuts

I love history. And I enjoy creating and watching our area prosper. That is a huge part why I like to stay engaged in Palmetto Bay and our South Dade communities. We all have a huge investment in making our community the best it can be. There were many reasons why things were done in certain ways. You cannot always account for every contingency, but you want to make sure that taxpayers get what they pay for, in this case bringing library services closer to those living in Palmetto Bay and north Cutler Bay.

I hope by now that everyone has taken advantage of this resource. A library is much more than 'bricks and mortar.' It is also a gathering place where community events occur. Tot reading time, Middle schooler book discussion groups, crafts and the popular 'Edible Book Festival' have been featured in this library. Do you have a favorite activity from this branch by now?

Please review the July 14, 2011, post: A short history of the efforts resulting in the Palmetto Bay Branch Library and the protections that the initial village council put in place to make sure we would have a library for current and future generations to enjoy.

This sets out the original vision plan of the very first council and let's everyone know why the Palmetto Bay neighborhood branch library should survive the current library cuts.

Palmetto Bay and Miami-Dade County entered into a 28 year lease in 2005. This lease is known as the “Library Interlocal Agreement.” The payment terms provide that the county will make an annual payment of $108,980.70 during the 28 year period. This is additional to the common area maintenance fees. This money goes toward the ultimate purchase of this library building by the County. Miami-Dade County is required to use this facility primarily for library and library-related purposes (and a possible use for elections). Failure of the County to use this site as a library at any time in the future (before or after the initial 28 year period) causes title to the property to revert back to Palmetto Bay.
 
This same agreement requires that the MDPLS will operate the library and pay the full yearly operating costs. The library will be open 5 days per week from Monday through Saturday according to the following schedule:
 
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday : 09:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday 11:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

 

Note, however, that the library is not precluded from altering its hours of operation.

 

The County does have the right to cancel this agreement. HOWEVER, Miami-Dade County will owe the village a balloon payment equal to the balance required to pay-off Palmetto Bay’s construction cost debt should the county chose to terminate the interlocal agreement for the library with Palmetto Bay. Palmetto Bay would retain and own the building.

 

We made sure there was a huge financial disincentive for Miami-Dade County to try to pull out of the library we fought long and hard for.  Not every area has these protections to protect their branch.  Regardless, all public libraries are valuable assets for the communities they serve. Protect your library.

The Miami Herald posted an article on the 22 branch libraries currently at risk. See  Miami-Dade County releases list of public libraries, fire-rescue units on budget-chopping block: The 22 libraries are: California Club, Opa-locka, Golden Glades, Civic Center Kiosk, Lemon City, Little River, Model City, Culmer, North Shore, Shenandoah, South Shore, Fairlawn, Virrick Park, Country Walk, Concord, Sunset, Lakes of the Meadows, Tamiami, West Kendall Regional, Doral, Hialeah Gardens and Palm Springs North.

Here we go again with the same old tax time games: County may shutter 42 libraries, lay off 260 employees - Miami-Dade - MiamiHerald.com

County may shutter 42 libraries, lay off 260 employees - Miami-Dade - MiamiHerald.com

This is as predictable as when the as when the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano, it is tax time, so it is time to threaten what people are willing to pay more to preserve.  It seems like just yesterday, but check out my prior, Sat, July 16, 2011, post: What library branches are at risk for closure under the current proposed budget for Miami-Dade County?or the Thurs, July 14, 2011, post on tough budget choices regarding the Libraries. Are we living in 2013 or is it 2011? Where are those tax/budget reforms?

This is indisputable evidence that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Nothing has changed, only the players. Where was the reform? It is beginning to appear as if those elected in 2010 merely claimed victory by pushing off the hard decisions back rather than actually succeeding in meaningful reform.

Here is the threat: The Miami Herald reports that Library Director Raymond Santiago is expected to meet with Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez Sunday to discuss a proposal to close almost all of the public libraries. 

The new scenario alleged, or threatened, is to close 42 libraries and lay off 260 full-time employees,” which is being reported by the Miami Herald.  Maybe, just maybe, it is time to take a stand and keep these important employees and make top mangers, and the numerous department heads make the case for their continued existence in this tax time replay of the big scare. Why jump right into this type of threat? Budget time is of no surprise, why is this not an ongoing analysis?

Under the proposed plan, according to email, only seven county libraries would remain open: Main library, Miami Beach, North Dade Regional, West Dade Regional, South Dade Regional, Northeast Branch (under construction) and Coral Gables. 

Will Palmetto Bay's own officials fight for Palmetto Bay's neighborhood library? You can bet Mayor Cindy Lerner and the Pinecrest Council will be fighting for the Pinecrest Library.  Palmetto Bay officials, including Mayor Stanczyk, had plenty of fireworks in fighting each other Thursday night (7/11/13), but again, nothing but crickets was heard on either the fire station (that Mrs. Stanczyk slept on for over 2 1/2 years) or this alleged current library funding crisis. It is obvious that our mayor and council have no advance intel on anything at County Hall that may profoundly affect Palmetto Bay. 

News flash to Mayor Shelley Stanczyk: Closing our library or further reduction in the hours and/or programing will adversely affect the quality of life in our community.

Click the link at the beginning of this post or CLICK HERE to read the entire Miami Herald article.

What library branches are at risk for closure under the current proposed budget for Miami-Dade County?

You can CLICK HERE to view the Google map which provides the listing of the MDPLS Branch Libraries that current proposed Miami-Dade County budget puts at risk for possible closure. 

None of the South Dade libraries are on the current list.

A short history of the efforts resulting in the Palmetto Bay Branch Library and the protections that the initial village council put in place to make sure we would have a library for current and future generations to enjoy.

The MDPLS Palmetto Bay Branch Library would not be in existence if Palmetto Bay had not first obtained the property where it is located. The property was owned by a mysterious individual known as Celestia De Lamour, possibly for The Suma Ching Hai International Association.  Not much was known about this property or its owner until it was discovered that workers on the property had hacked through protected mangrove trees and built a boardwalk through 300 feet of lush park-owned mangroves.  Investigators have never located the owner.  Look for an article entitled Sect leader's island is awash in mystery, By Curtis Morgan, Miami Herald, March 16, 2004

The property was seized and John Breder was a prime mover in the negotiation the purchase of the property with Miami-Dade County Environmental Crimes of MDPD.  First choice of the land under forfeiture disposal was for public use.  John Breder negotiated the price and kept it to the original purchase price of $350,000.00 – a bargain price for what was termed bay front land located on historic Old Cutler Road.

The Palmetto Bay Branch library was the result of a collaborative effort between the initial Palmetto Bay council and Miami-Dade County.  The MDPLS Palmetto Bay Branch library officially opened on Friday, March 19, 2010.  It is located at 17641 Old Cutler Road in Ludovici Park.  (read on by clicking "Read more" below for additional history)

Palmetto Bay Branch Library (MDPLS) invites you to celebrate the International Edible Book Festival

Miami-Dade Public Library System International Edible Book Festival, 

Saturday, March 26, 3:00 p.m.

An exciting new (edible) event!  Participate or view the International Edible Book Festival at the Palmetto Bay Branch Library on March 26th at 3 p.m. (participants must arrive at 2 p.m.).  The teen club, Bookbusters, inspired this event.

Interested in creating your own edible version of anything literary (book character, author, title of a book, etc.)?  Participants will bring their book inspired entries to the library, where the library will display them as an exhibit. 

The entry form is due on Wednesday, March 23rd by 8 p.m. (late entries will not be accepted). 

The library provided a photo of a sample for inspiration, a cake for Beastly by Alex Flinn made by Cakes by Gaby!

What      :           Miami-Dade Public Library System 

                           International Edible Book Festival

Date      :           Saturday, March 26, 3 p.m. 

TIme      :           3:00 PM (2:00 PM for participants)

Where   :           Palmetto Bay Branch Library, 

                          17641 Old Cutler Rd

Contact :           Palmetto Bay Branch Library at 

                          305-232-1771

Entry must refer to a scene or character, look like a book, or be the pun of a book title.

Whatever your inspiration - it must be edible!