DISQUS

I live in the 3rd District and work in the 1st. I’m also a co-founder of the Progressive Dinner Party, which raises money for Long Beach-based charities that impact low-income children and families. With the PDP, I have worked with families and organizations who consistently rely on the Main Library – whether the literacy programs that are based out of Main, or the resources available there, it is an irreplaceable institution for these families, and a branch library WOULD NOT suffice.

After attending most of the city council's budget meetings – and listening to all of the lengthy public comment, including people from all over the city who use Main because they can’t find what they need at the branches, and reading Theo’s very thoughtful coverage of the issue in The District, my opinion is this building should be repaired, kept open, and remain a library. The city has let it fall into disrepair, and now some are trying to justify shutting it down and, presumably, tearing it down (we have to presume, since there is no plan). This building is architecturally notable; it should not be considered disposable! Just think if NYC had let its public library fall apart, then just tore it down! Long Beach has a history of razing buildings, only to put up worse ones (The Pike, CityPlace, etc. etc.). There is no study that says the Library's repairs must happen imminently, and I support Councilmember Bonnie Lowenthal’s idea to put a “library bond” before the voters. Come on Long Beach, show a little pride in your public institutions!

City Councilmembers, please take Main out of this budget process and do your due diligence!!

Cari Marshall

Theo, I'm so glad you picked up on Sanchez's remarks. They were truly stirring, and I only wish she could be home for the city's September 2nd library-related budget meeting (I actually wish she were home for good!).

You're preaching to the choir, John. I'm simply trying to highlight the fact that the lack of changes in leadership at LBMA has not been addressed. Trust me, I do my part in the democratic process and do not just sit back and wait for things to change! But there is no election that will affect the LBMA leadership (unless you know of an election I don't know about??) and I would very much like for the press to examine what is going on there.

I'm done with this thread...

First we need to focus on ridding ourselves of Congressman Rohrabacher's sleazy-ness - the library is in his district after all, and of course he hasn't said a peep.

I totally agree with you John - my only point is that until there is real change in leadership at the Museum, we are foolish to believe that anything else has changed up to this point! Part of what we should "demand" is a total overhaul in leadership at both the staff and board levels, but no coverage so far has addressed the qualifications of the people currently in those posts.

Juan, we should not (do not!) have to choose between having an art museum and a library. Any self-respecting city of this size has both.

Since there has not really been a change in leadership at LBMA - the current director was President of the Board then Development Director when all this garbage happened, and the Board has not changed at all - why should we expect any real changes to be made?

Remember people, the half million annual users of Main Library do not go there because of the building's aesthetics! The Main Library serves more people each year than all of the branch libraries combined, and its book collection equals more than all of the branch libraries combined. Plus, regarding the notion that extending branch's hours and services will fix things...so, the rich kids in Belmont Shore will get more from their library, while the lower-income children downtown will get less - or zero. Per usual the city is picking on the easiest part of the community to pick on - the poor.

Theo, thank you so much for your coverage of this. I was in attendance yesterday, and I can almost still hear West squirm as he backtracked on his previous statements. The way I see it, there are two kinds of communities - the kind that lets a Main Library close in a budget crises, and the kind that wouldn't stand for such a thing. I'm dubious of what kind of community this is, but I hope it is the latter! I applaud Gerrie Shipske for her thorough and thoughtful remarks on this subject.