LibrarianActivist.org

You may not have known that ALA has a policy (Policy 61) about library services to the poor. Similarly, you may not know that the Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) has a task force called the Homelessness, Hunger, and Poverty Task Force (HHPTF).

That was a lot of background, all to say that the HHPTF recently addressed Policy 61 in its survey report, now online. The ALA charged the HHPTF to survey ALA members about their knowledge of the policy, identify key issues and trends, and make recommendations. The report concluded that member respondents identified poor people using various manners, didn’t collaborate to provide programs or services to the poor because there was no official policy within ALA to do so, and felt that there was a lack of professional guidance from ALA regarding library services to the poor. 85% of respondents advocated training staff to sensitize them to issues affecting the poor and barriers hindering library use.

The report recommended that ALA “clarify why library service to the poor is integral to our profession [...] and not a fringe issue” (4). They suggested a number of specific ideas for ALA to this end, including a regular column in American Libraries, a dedicated ALA staff member, a toolkit for libraries interested in serving the poor, an ALA distinguished service award for libraries that successfully serve the poor, and an advocacy campaign similar to @ Your Library. They also suggested that, within libraries themselves, administrators include poor people and poverty-focused organisations in library decision-making (4).

Libraries who serve the poor are also asked to post resources to the Library Success Wiki.

I would love to visit a library that looked like this.

(via Reddit)

- JH

There is a big (and first ever) electoral reform referendum coming up in Ontario on October 10th.

When voters go to the polls for the next provincial election, they’ll also be voting on whether to implement a Mixed Member Proportional electoral system. Apparently, about half of all Ontarians don’t know what MMP is about, where it came from, and how it differs from the current first past the post system.

There’s no clearer job for a public librarian in Ontario right now that to be make information accessible and as visible as possible so that voters can make an informed choice at the polling station.

Here’s are a few resources to pass on. The video is getting nice reviews for bringing some clarity to the midst of confusion.

Spacing Wire coverage
Referendum Ontario
Vote for MMP
MMP Guide - Toronto Star
Articles and Related Links - Globe and Mail
TVO Big Ideas debate (added Oct 3.07)
Toronto Public Library Resource Guide (added Oct 5.07)

-PC-

Kudos are in order for the London Public Library’s decision to post an online discussion forum to invite public debate on their controversial Internet filtering policy.

Librarians, please weigh in on this important discussion regarding the connection between intellectual freedom and internet filtering. Thus far, the discussion is largely one-sided in favour of filtering.

Go to Internet Filtering Pilot Project Feedback Forum.

Some quick and dirty Internet filtering references from the librarian blogosphere:

Librarian.net
A search on Libworm for both the terms “internet” and “filtering” gave back these results.

I’ll conduct a more thorough review of the arguments both pro and con in the not too distannt future - in the meantime, please use the LA blog for information sharing!

-PC-

With Toronto’s financial woes are continuing on unabated, and the provincial government merely using the opportunity for some pre-election politicking, Torontonians are taking matters into their own hands at a local level.

While citizen and lobby groups in Toronto are lobbying hard on both sides, LA is here to provide information on saving TPL and other essential community services from the chopping block.

A website has been launched by the city to provide more information on the proposed tax. Here are a few highlights from the fairtaxes.ca.

Every major city in the world has fair taxes that grow with the economy — except Toronto

For every dollar of taxes Torontonians pay (income, sales, property taxes and other taxes), only 6 cents goes to your municipal government

Toronto recently ranked fifth as the world’s most livable city (1)

The average Toronto household buys and sells a home once every 15 to 20 years (or five to seven per cent of the population at any given time) (2)

Toronto’s housing market is at an all time high, with record sales and homes selling in record time (3)

The City of Toronto has the lowest municipal property tax rates in the Greater Toronto Area (2)

Municipal property taxes provide 24-hour, 7-day services like police, fire, ambulance, road repair and parks as well as libraries, recreation programs, and community centres, at a cost of about $180 a month for the average Toronto household. (2) That same household may spend $200 a month for car insurance and $150 a month for phone, Internet and television services

Sources:
1. The Economist Magazine (August, 2007)
2. City of Toronto
3. Toronto Real Estate Board press release (August 17, 2007)

Just to recap, after Mayor Miller’s proposed land transfer and vehicle registration taxes were deferred for further consideration at the first vote, libraries were the first to be hit up for service cuts which went into effect this month. TPL has posted this on their website regarding the services cuts. The ‘high priority’ neighbourhoods will continue to open on Sundays .

These TPL cuts are just the tip of the iceberg compared to what may be coming, as community centres closed on Monday earlier this week. And let’s not forget about the smaller, less-likely-to-grab-a-headline players in the arts and culture communities. The Toronto Arts Coalition - a new organization whose mission is to raise the profile of the role and importance of the arts in Toronto - while not explicitly supporting the new taxes, is providing some advocacy tools to lobby the various levels of government to support the arts. Is it just me, or does is not make your life a bit easier when folks like this give you a helping hand with your advocacy tasks?

So what you can do:

If you’re in favour of supporting the new taxes at the October 22nd council vote, here’s who you want to drop an email to:

clerk AT toronto DOT ca

In the subject line write:
“Yes to land transfer tax. Please copy to Mayor and City Councillors (arts and libraries)”

cc’d to:
dmcguinty.mpp.co AT liberal.ola.org
hhampton-qp AT ndp.on.ca
john.tory AT pc.ola.org

Include a paragraph (such as this one) into the body of the email (or make up your own):

“Dear Mayor Miller and City Councillors:

My Toronto includes:

the arts
libraries
community centres
recreation programs
public health services
museums
and the TTC

To protect my city, I support the land transfer tax as an immediate solution to Toronto’s financial crisis.

your name
address
postal code

Even MORE quick and dirty is the email form provided through Miller’s recently launched website, fairtaxes.ca. There is still room for your comments, like how community services are the bread and butter of social inclusion and a liveable, vibrant, cosmopolitan city.

thanks, Siue Moffat for forwarding the draft email and arts links

-PC-