The fight for quality libraries continues. The buildings may remain, but we need staff for programming and materials, e.g. books, etc. Get engaged.

There are some hard hitting comments to my August 24 post: A partial victory for a literate community. Miami Herald: Miami-Dade County will no longer close any public libraries. 2 are posted below. Click on the article link to read the others.

One commenter points out that perhaps Palmetto Bay, as a member of the MDPLS, should fight for a countywide quality library rather than stopping at protection of our own turf. Afterall, I would add that Palmetto Bay is party of the system wide book sharing. The Palmetto Bay Neighborhood Branch is not a self-sustained island onto its own.

Comment:
Anonymous August 28, 2013
Hey Palmetto Bay- no worries! You get to keep your 40 hours of library operations! Unfortunately, places like Little River, Lemon City, & Edison only get 16 hours a week. - Patti Antoncich

Pinecrest officials are actively engaged in this fight. Our Palmetto Bay elected leaders are waiting for the results before joining the victory parade for whichever side prevails. I recommend that the residents set an example for our unengaged local leaders by supporting the efforts of the Save the Miami-Dade Public Libraries.

Another comment details actual budget reductions and tracks them over the last few years. Read more to read this comment:

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!