Petition Tag - library

The closing down of the British Council Library (KLC) in Alexandria has upset many students in Alexandria since they depended on it greatly as an active provider of information which not only allowed its members to browse through its shelves, but also to borrow from it, an option which only existed there.

So this is a petition from the members of the British Council to re-open the library.

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We are petitioning the City of Rockford to reverse its threat to cut public library funding in next year's budget. Please sign below to let the Mayor and City Council know that you are against such cuts.

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The Puyallup School District Board of Directors, in an effort to balance the budget in these difficult economic times, is being asked to save funds by eliminating half of our certificated school library media specialists. This action will reduce student access to strong school library programs and deny equal access for all students to the shared resources and information skills instruction crucial for students to learn and thrive in the 21st century.

It is our hope that Puyallup citizens can help reverse the trend of serious reductions to our school library programs by calling on our school board to ensure that teacher librarians, library programs and technology training are no longer at risk. It is our wish that our children and their teachers have full and equal access to the literacy and collaborative opportunities provided by our school libraries and certified teacher librarians. It is our belief that information literacy and the technology training facilitated in our school libraries are crucial to our children, and that the teacher librarian's knowledge of student ability allows them to place "just right books" into the hands of students, fostering a love of reading and life-long learning.

The results of numerous studies indicate that Puyallup School District students and teachers would be best served by intact, fully-funded library and technology programs.

The U.S. Commission on Libraries and Information Science summarizes what decades of research have shown in state after state after state:
•Students in schools with good school libraries learn more, get better grades, and score higher on standardized test scores than their peers in schools without libraries.
•School Libraries have an important role in teaching. Certified teacher librarians are working with teachers to change what is possible in the classroom and support learning opportunities with books, computer resources and more.
•School libraries are leading the way for technology use in schools.
•School libraries inspire literacy.
•School libraries need to be staffed by a certified teacher librarian in order to have a positive impact on student academic achievement. http://www.nclis.gov
•To access an extensive list of research please see http://www.lrs.org/impact.php

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The opening hours of St Johns College library are far too restrictive. We recognise that students, in order to be properly supported in their academic studies, need access to essential materials whatever their working habits.

The college may argue that students shouldn't be studying late at night, but this stance simply fails to recognise that individuals know when they themselves work most effectively, and we believe that the college should endeavour to facilitate the study patterns of every student.

The college may argue that extending opening hours is expensive, reflecting the cost of lost books and additional overheads. We would point to that fact that Keble College incurs no additional staffing costs by providing a self-service "check out" system to allow students to take out books during non-staffing hours. Also, books can be protected by simple measures such as CCTV in the foyer, and locking up valuble and rare books during non-staffing hours.

The college may also claim that libraries that aren't constantly staffed quickly become untidy. However, tidiness is more a question of how well a library's rules are followed, and with sufficient staff enforcement, extended opening hours need not result in mess, as Magdalen college library exemplifies.

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To: Portland Public School Board Members and Portland Public Schools Superintendent

The Oregon Library Association (OLA), the Portland Area Information Literacy Group (P.A.I.L.), and the undersigned Oregon librarians and library media specialists want to express support for libraries, teacher-librarians and library media specialists in all of Portland Public School libraries. The OLA is a statewide association of over 1,000 members composed of academic, public, and special librarians from across Oregon. P.A.I.L. is a group of Portland area librarians from public, school, college and university libraries in the Portland area. We advocate for Information Literacy for all of our library users and students.

P.A.I.L. has met over the last three years and found from the very first conversation that we had a common concern: “Students seeking a post-secondary education lacked the requisite knowledge to do high quality research using the multitude of resources available in today’s modern library.” From our discussions we discovered that support for professional teacher-librarians and library media specialist (LMS) in Portland Public Schools had been waning over the years. It was a stunning epiphany for all, especially the college librarians.

We write to you in support of staffing your school libraries with professional librarians and support staff, providing equal and equitable access to both a qualified librarian and a professionally developed library collection. The role of administering a library program and library media center also involves someone who is an expert in curriculum and provides high quality resources teachers and students need. Research has consistently shown that school librarians and strong libraries correlate strongly with student success and retention. They also prepare students to succeed in post-secondary schooling and to become critical thinkers and well-informed citizens.

We understand that you recently created a new position in the district, one that can help to renew the role of librarians and school libraries across your district, and we applaud your acknowledgement to address this need. We wish to encourage your continuous efforts to bring Portland Public School libraries into the 21st century, and to become the leader for school libraries in Oregon.

Robert Schroeder
Coordinator of the Portland Area Information Literacy Group
Assistant Professor and Reference Librarian, Portland State University

Sarah Beasley
Oregon Library Association. President
Associate Professor, Education and Social Science Librarian, Portland State University

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Gulfport Library, located on the Beachfront in downtown Gulfport, has been slated for demolition. This magnificent building survived both Hurricanes Camille and Katrina and is an important piece of our culture, heritage, and history here on the Gulf Coast.

Despite the beating it took during Katrina, it still stands proudly and defiantly on the beachfront waiting for us to restore it to its former glory. Against all odds, this building survived the worst natural disaster in American history only to be attacked by some of our own city council members and supervisors. Futhermore, the designs and drawings created by Andres Duany, a planner hired by the City of Gulfport after the storm, show a high-rise hotel on the beachfront property where the library is currently located.

Let's reach out a helping hand to this grand monument; its restoration can serve as a testament to our community and show that although we've taken a beating, we're still here and we're coming back strong and proud. Please sign the petition below to let your elected officials know that you want them to save and rebuild this important marker of our heritage and our history.

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Citizens across the state of Arizona are calling on state leaders to ensure that all Arizona elementary and secondary students have full-time access to school libraries and a certified teacher librarian.

It is our hope that Arizona voices can help reverse the trend of serious reductions to our school library programs by calling on our leaders to ensure that teacher librarians, library programs and technology training are no longer at risk. It is our wish that our children and their teachers have full and equal access to the literacy and collaborative opportunities provided by our school libraries and certified teacher librarians. It is our belief that information literacy and the technology training facilitated in our school libraries are crucial to our children, and that the teacher librarian's knowledge of student ability allows them to place "just right books" into the hands of students, fostering a love of reading and life-long learning.

The Arizona Republic published an article this year (3/11/08) which highlights just some of the cuts that have occurred in Arizona:

"Bill Myhr, superintendent of Fountain Hills Unified District, credits librarians with helping teachers and students lift his four schools to "excelling," the state's top rating. Still, he has proposed cutting librarians next year and replacing them with one district librarian.

Next year, eight schools in the Tempe Elementary District are likely to lose full-time librarians. Librarians who are serving 500 students all week this year will serve 900 students part time next year.

Tucson Unified schools must split a shrinking number of staff hours among a librarian, a counselor or another teacher."

Mesa Public Schools, Arizona's largest school district serving 74,000 students, recently announced a decision to eliminate librarians in all of its schools over a three-year period.

The results of numerous studies indicate that Arizona students and teachers would be best served by intact, fully-funded library and technology programs.

The U.S. Commission on Libraries and Information Science summarizes what decades of research have shown in state after state after state:

*Students in schools with good school libraries learn more, get better grades, and score higher on standardized test scores than their peers in schools without libraries.
*School Libraries have an important role in teaching. Certified teacher librarians are working with teachers to change what is possible in the classroom and support learning opportunities with books, computer resources and more.
*School libraries are leading the way for technology use in schools.
*School libraries inspire literacy.
*School libraries need to be staffed by a certified teacher librarian in order to have a positive impact on student academic achievement. (http://www.nclis.gov)

To access an extensive list of research please see http://www.lrs.org/impact.php

Dr. Michael B. Eisenberg, Dean Emeritus and Professor of Library and Information Science at the University of Washington, puts it like this:

“This is the information age. Key basic skills for all students are reading, communicating, information and technology literacy. To quote Bill Gates, ‘Computers today are a million times more powerful than 20 years ago. And, it’s going to happen again. In 20 years, computers will be a million times more powerful than today.’

What does that mean for our children? What will it mean to live and succeed in such a world? Our children will need to be more than literate – they will need to be fluent in reading, communicating, information processing and technology.”

We are encouraged and hopeful that the leaders of Arizona will review the research, consider the issues surrounding school library services, and will do what is necessary to see that school libraries, teacher librarians and information technology receive adequate and sustained funding.
______________________________________________
The authors of this petition have formed a state-wide coalition to advocate for the issues addressed in this petition.

If you would like to join the coalition or are seeking additional information, please visit fundourfuturearizona.org to learn more about ACS-lit The Arizona Coalition for School Libraries & Information Technology as well as to access a plethora of research on the issue.

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The last Independent Library in the UK has suffered dramatic funding cuts at the hands of Croydon's Conservative Council.

The Library is funding jointly between Croydon and Lambeth Councils and since the Conservatives took over Croydon Council in 2006 they have made repeated attempts to cut their contribution and to raid the Library's reserves.

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Issues for discussion:

1. The condition of handicap access is not acceptable.

2. There is no sprinkler system or fire extinguishers visible in case of fire.

3. Book selection needs improvement.

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Dear Mobile library users and supporters,

Please Help

Many people are aggrieved by the closure of the Mobile Library. This Mobile Library is a necessity, not a luxury at this age and time. A right, not a privilege for many people who cannot afford two cars. The majority of the people living in this area are working families with modest incomes. We have been using the Mobile Library service for years. It has been operating since 1974 and therefore has now become an icon and a lifeline, we cannot imagine life without it. I therefore fervently pray that you will be able to assist us in preventing the closure of an icon which has become a landmark for us.

Thanking you in anticipation.
WHAT IS NEEDED

Please call and email the councilors that represent you the link below has their contact details
http://www.greaterdandenong.com/Documents.asp?ID=26&Title=Councillors

Mayor
Councillor John Kelly
Dandenong North Ward
Ph: 9239 5230
Fax: 9706 0186
Email: john.kelly@cgd.vic.gov.au

Councillor Jim Memeti
Dandenong Ward
Mb: 0434 560 239
Ph: 9792 4683
Email: jim.memeti@cgd.vic.gov.au

Councillor Paul Donovan
Cleeland Ward
Mb: 0408 251 926
Ph: 9794 8831
Email: paul.donovan@cgd.vic.gov.au

Councillor Youhorn Chea
Springvale Central Ward
Mb: 0417 320 645
Ph: 9562 4802
Email: youhorn.chea@cgd.vic.gov.au

Councillor Roz Blades
Keysborough Ward
Mb: 0417 053 612
Ph: 9701 5821
Email: roz.blades@cgd.vic.gov.au

Councillor Peter Brown
Keysborough South Ward
Mb: 0408 138 939
Ph: 9584 5149
Email: peter.brown@cgd.vic.gov.au

Councillor Sue Walton
Lyndale
Mb: 0434 560 240
Ph: 9769 0983
Email: sue.walton@cgd.vic.gov.au

Councillor Pinar Yesil
Noble Park Ward
Mb: 0434 560 242
Ph: 9769 1245
Email: pinar.yesil@cgd.vic.gov.au

Councillor Maria Sampey
Noble Park North Ward
Mb: 0438 800 027
Ph: 9790 1291
Email: maria.sampey@cgd.vic.gov.au

Councillor Alan Gordon
Springvale North Ward
Mb: 0434 560 238
Ph: 9540 3461
Email: alan.gordon@cgd.vic.gov.au

Councillor Yvonne Herring
Springvale South Ward
Mb: 0434 560 241
Ph: 9540 8649
Email: yvonne.herring@cgd.vic.gov.au

Please try to leave a message in the petition.

Regards,
Greater Dandenong Mobile library Users

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NOTE: The place to sign this petition is at the bottom of this page.

Spokane citizens are gravely concerned about the proposal to cut full-time librarians at ten elementary schools (Lidgerwood, Garfield, Roosevelt, Balboa, Westview, Ridgeview, Linwood, Indian Trail, and Holmes). Such a move would adversely affect nearly 4000 Spokane children. These students would be joining another 1,000 Spokane children that already lost full-time librarians in a budget cut three years ago (Franklin, Wilson, Pratt, Adams and Madison).

The cost of keeping full-time librarians amounts to less than 1% of the District's budget.

Teacher-librarians play an absolutely essential role in 21st century education. Among other things, they foster in children both the ability to access information as well as the critical thinking skills needed to use information correctly; they facilitate effective integration of technology into the school curriculum; they work in collaboration with classroom teachers to meet curriculum standards in the areas of technology and information literacy; and, perhaps most importantly, they foster a love of reading and learning in students of all ages.

The Spokane School District, the second largest District in the state of Washington, is facing a $10.7MM budget deficit. This deficit is, indeed, significant, and stems from problems at the federal, state and local levels. The Federal and State governments are under funding mandated programs, which has for years led the District to use levy money to make up the difference, over $10MM in last year's budget alone.

At the local level, Spokane, like many urban districts, is suffering from declining enrollment due to demographics and an exodus to suburban districts. A second local issue stems from Spokane's large medical sector; simply put, Spokane is Eastern Washington’s medical magnet for children with special needs. The city also receives a significant number of special needs children from the Fairchild Air Force Base Community; many military families with special needs children request to be stationed in Spokane because both the medical care and the School District’s programs are exceptional.

Several years ago, Congress made a promise to gradually increase federal funding to 40% of the average annual cost of a special education student. Coverage has stagnated around 19%. At the state level, special education funding is capped at 12.7%; Spokane registers over that cap. If special education had been funded above the cap in this last session, Spokane would have received $1,950,000 in 2007-2008. Instead, the cost will be covered by levy funds.

Although the crisis looms large, we have come to a juncture where funding for education, both at the state and federal level, stands to change. The Federal Government is in the process of updating the No Child Left Behind Act, and our own WA Senators describe increasing special education funds a top priority for this Congress. At a state level, a taskforce charged with updating the Washington State funding formula is forming next month, while a 'safety net' fund for special needs costs saw increased appropriations this year.

Given the fact that desperately needed changes are on the horizon, and considering the fact that the cost of keeping librarians is relatively small, cutting elementary school librarians is not a solution worth pursuing. The cost to our students, and our community, is simply too great.

In today's schools the library is the locus of both technology and information training. Cutting back to part-time librarian/clerks would gravely affect the computer and information literacy training so essential to graduating students who hope to become competitive members of the workforce.

Four of the ten schools slated for librarian cuts are Title I, and a fifth serves a 60% free and reduced-lunch demographic. Were it not for the training provided by our school librarians, most of these children would not have access to technology and information literacy training at all. Eliminating full-time librarians would most certainly result in these children being further marginalized- so much so they may never catch up.

The decision to erode a program that serves such an essential and visible function in our schools will compromise Spokane’s image for business recruitment and retention, will adversely affect future university placements, and stands to negatively impact the caliber of Spokane’s future workforce.

Many people choose to remain in or move to Spokane because of the family-friendly lifestyle residents enjoy, and exceptional schools are an essential component of this character. We feel strongly that cutting school librarians would, in a very clear way, undermine one of Spokane’s greatest strengths.

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Goal and Purpose of Plan: Generate funds to invest in needed public infrastructure and facility projects which will stimulate commercial and industrial private investment to increase property tax base, create jobs and support Nampa’s future economic development.

The projects to be funded by the plan: Library, North Nampa Industrial Infrastructure, Public Safety Building, Nampa Caldwell Boulevard Improvements, Franklin Blvd Right-of-Way, & Freeway Interchange Improvements.

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August 5, 2006

This petition is to appeal against the relocation / Development of Chester Library.

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Nov 17, 2005

On the branch campuses, where many of the students are non-traditional, have jobs, families, and responsibilities other than being full time college students, our Library has let us down.

We, who work, raise families, and have other responsibilities that take up our time throughout the week, and only have the weekends to utilize the Libraries as facilities for study, learning, and as a hub to our educational experience are shut out! The Branch Campus Libraries' hours are all shorter on the weekend than throughout the week.

This is a terrible example of discrimination based on the status of the non-traditional students. It is unfortunate that the University is so intolerant and unresponsive to the needs of students, but as exemplified in Issue I, The Ohio State University is not interested in us, in our educations, or our lives…The Ohio State University is only interested in generating revenue and doing what is easiest for them!

We need to act! Attached is a petition seeking to force The Ohio State University Marion to offer the same hours of operation for the Library on the weekends as throughout the week, thereby ending the discrimination inherent in this policy toward non-traditional students.

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I was once a volunteer for Malakoff Library in Malakoff, Texas because they needed some help providing help to their customers. These are employers who are elderly and need to be at home with their grandchildren planning family time or something. They barely know what the internet is.

They have customers coming from differnt angles asking them how to do this and how to do that, and they usually ask me to help them because I know how to browse the internet and get things done. These elderly ladies really don't know what they are doing.

They have new computers and don't even know how to set them up the right way when children come and and a porn site pops up, they thinks it be the children looking at these sites. Then they bug you to death if you decide to switch computers to sign in on the sign in sheet.

They really don't do anything about this library because I'm up here almost everyday on the computer and I just watch and observe the innocent get treated unfairly. It is very important that we get some new and intelligent employees that know how to run this library without any embarrassment.

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In 1947 the original toys Pooh , Piglet Tigger, Eeyore and Kanga went on a tour of the USA. They toured the USA visiting libraries and department stores. They ended up in Duttons Books offices and then in 1987 they were presented to the New York Public library. Where thay have been kept in a glass cage ever since. The New York Public library claim that they are as happy as they were when living in the Ashdown Forest England !

If they actually asked Pooh I am sure that he would not agree with that statement.

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Anthony Rossi Intermediate School formerly had a ninth period, until higher officials decided to remove this "superfluous" period (as referred to by some faculty) for the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 school years. Ninth period provided forty (40) minutes to students to work on homework, go outside, visit the library, study, assemble for school clubs, and participate in other educational and non-academic activities.

The removal of ninth period resulted in an addition of five (5) minutes to each period. Since the elimination of ninth period, it is becoming harder and harder for pupils of this school -

* to visit the library (which includes borrowing books and other media for required Accelerated Reader tests, taking the tests, use reference books at the library to aid them in their school work, and other library related activities)

* to get together in groups for school clubs (which includes all clubs at Rossi Intermediate school that would like to meet during ninth period in order to (a) have more time for their club meetings [ninth period and after school] and (b) meet during ninth period so the instructor(s) and student(s) don't have to stay after school, reducing the amount of students on the activity bus, and possibly reducing the number of missed busses,

* to study (this is especially true with multiple student studying, which has been proven to be more effective), work on group projects, and partake in other activities normally available during ninth period. Presently, the current period schedule provides less than twenty (20) minutes to complete all of these activities (mathematical equation: one period = 40 minutes, silent reading is ½ of the lunch/silent reading period, minus two minutes for the bell change. So, (45 x .5)-2 is 20 [rounded from 20.1], then you must take into consideration extra time to get a pass written, walk down to the library, walk back from the library and other lag time due to the shortness of silent reading), that's only if you can get a pass, seeing that only three students may be permitted a pass to the library at any given time.

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Our Two hours got reduced to one at Whitefish Bay Public Library.

We want to bring back the two hour time limit.

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Request that the Upper Nazareth Township Budget includes full support to the Nazareth Memorial Library.

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The Ohio government is proposing to cut funding to the Elyria Public Library System. This cut will force the libraries in Elyria and Lorain to close, leaving only one library in Lorain that will be open only two days a week. This will cause many people to lose their jobs. The libraries are an important part of our society, helping with research, along with recreation.

Please sign our petition and save our libraries. Don't let the government take away one of the few important things left in this world.

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The AVSA's former website was an invaluable resource, particularly because of its extensive and informative photograph library which provided formal descriptions of the African Violets varieties displayed.

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