Friends of the Library Petitioning Today at NE Branch

Just a reminder as we reported in a previous post a few weeks ago, that Jennifer Johnson-Fong, who volunteers as the Vice President on the board of Friends of The Seattle Public Library will be petitioning in front of Northeast Branch today from 10 am to 12 noon.

Jennifer sent us email titled "Final Call to Action to Save Northeast and University Branch Library Hours" and in it tells us that "patrons can have an impact right away by participating in the email campaign outlined below.

I hope you can support the Friends again as Seattle City Council makes their final decisions on the proposed 2010 Library budget. The Friends of The Seattle Public Library want to see Option A pass by the Seattle City Council. I would so appreciate your support in this email campaign. "

Here is contact info and avenues to help out immediately:
Email: advocacy@friendsofspl.org
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Web
Facebook
Survey: Friends Neighborhood Library Usage survey

Below is an email she sent on behalf of Friends of the Library to City Council members:

TO: sally.clark@seattle.gov; jan.drago@seattle.gov; tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov ; richard.conlin@seattle.gov ; jean.godden@seattle.gov

CC: tim.burgess@seattle.gov; bruce.harrell@seattle.gov; nick.licata@seattle.gov

SUBJECT: 1.2 M Restoration of Library Funds

Dear Councilmembers Clark, Conlin, Drago, Godden, and Rasmussen,

Please join fellow Councilmembers Burgess, Harrell and Licata and vote for Option A– restoring the 330 weekly service hours to keep our libraries open normal hours in 2010.

OPTIONAL: I use the XYZ neighborhood branch for XYZ. OR Share a more personal message about why your neighborhood branch is important to you. The email message is simple and straightforward, but needs to reach as many in your neighborhood as possible. Any additional support you can give to the email campaign beyond your news service either by emailing list servs, posting on Facebook, Twittering, or just emailing Seattle friends and family would be greatly appreciated.

As you may know your neighborhood branch Library’s hours will drastically change if the Mayor’s proposed 2010 budget passes. The proposed budget eliminates 17,160 public service hours per year and would impact your neighborhood directly with the closure of your neighborhood branch on Friday and Sunday plus a reduction in hours – all year round. Your neighborhood branch would be open after six only twice a week. Among many other services, hour changes will impact story times, nighttime classes, community meeting room availability and homework help programs.

Your neighborhood’s access to The Library’s free public computers and free Wi-Fi will be another lost resource that many community members without a computer or internet access depend on. The good news is that Councilmembers Burgess, Harrell and Licata are committed to preserving the hours of operations at all neighborhood branches of The Seattle Public Library. On November 2nd Seattle City Councimembers began discussing four options to partially restore the 5% reduction in the endorsed library budget.

None of the options will prevent another one week furlough in 2010, but the best choice, Option A, does preserve Library hours in your neighborhood branch at their current level and prevents the loss of 27 library staff positions. The Friends have launched this final email campaign targeted at Councilmembers Clark, Conlin, Drago, Godden and Rasmussen to urge them to join Councilmembers Burgess, Harrell and Licata in preserving our present neighborhood Library hours.

Please let me know if I can provide you with any other information. I have included additional background information below on the proposed 2010 budget’s impact on The Seattle Public Library and neighborhood branches.

Thank you,

Jennifer Johnson-FongVice President,

Friends of The Seattle Public LibraryMember, Advocacy Committee