Libraries? We don't need no stinkin' libraries! (Austin, Howe: rental, condo)

[Nomadic9460678748]

Library Cuts Run Deeper Than They Appear - News - The Austin Chronicle

Unless, of course, you are someone like me.

Were it not for the library I would probably have already gone truly insane. My perpetual, fruitless search for work and monotonous days are only alleviated by my trips to the library. Were it not for the books, CDs, DVDs, Interlibrary Loan materials, remote access to a wealth of databases, I would feel even more confined, more trapped. Even a person of no means seeks diversion. When our computer went kaput it was the library which permitted me to continue that aforementioned fruitless search for work. Now I'm using the library to aid in my researches as I make plans to leave Texas and the U.S. in the hopes of finding a job teaching in South Korea. I cannot stand the thought of another year here unemployed and with nothing to look forward to. The library has been my second home, my salvation, and appears that soon that will be a shadow of its former self. Schools, the Arts, historical preservation, and education, mean so little to Texas.

However, I recognize that most people don't care about libraries. Most people don't even know where their local library branch is located, much less own a library card. To them, that's what the internet is for. Call me old-fashioned.

This quote from Gloria Meraz, the Texas Library Association's communications director had me laughing out loud.

"We're trying so hard to be a forward-moving state and to improve our work force. When you don't have the infrastructure to support that, we're really pulling the rug out from under us."

Texas and "forward-moving state" have not, to my knowledge, ever been located in the same sentence with respect to education, culture, or intellectual growth. Now if you want to talk about football teams or a tax abatement for property owners (which is not appropriately paid for with franchise taxes), or tax sweeteners for employers to produce low-paying jobs, Texas will be your huckleberry. I'd like to see the Legislature take those shears to the Texas Enterprise Fund, seeing as how the Fund has only made negligible contributions to job creation in this state. Less than 1% according to Susan Combs. But as is par the course in Texas, commerce is king and the cultivation of an enlightened citizenry be d*mned.

I hope to be in South Korea no later than August. I will be following the fallout with interest, grateful to escape the damage.

[Lucidus]

Sorry you seem so bitter about Texas, good luck in South Korea.

[Westerntraveler]

Good Luck in Asia

[TheEconomist]

Sorry the job search isn't working out, but libraries aren't really vital infrastructure to our economy. I hope the libraries are able to make their cuts and keep running, but we don't need to be wasting money. The "services" being cut are pretty far from the standard library services of storing books on a shelf. We don't need to continuously stock up on new books when the best books were written decades ago.

The Texas State Law Library that is being closed is duplicative of the public law library down the street at the UT school of law.

[Philip T]

Yep. We needs to be aspending our money on IMPORTANT things.

Like Wars, Weapons, Corporate Tax Cuts, Rural Airports for the reech folks to gits to their hunting lodges . . .

Talking important thangs.

So get along to Kooo-rea. Maybe they will learn you to make donuts and you can come back and open a donut shop.

In a Library.

Libraries with Donut Shops . . . . hmmm.

[loves2read]

this is just Republican mantra for --we want to keep people as stupid as possible--
Stupid people can't make an effective counterforce to systemic attempts to disenfranchise them...
that is why teaching slaves to read and write was a heinous crime in slave states
and also why Egypt tried to prevent internet and cell phone use--
true literacy is frown upon in totalitarian states--only use of media to manipulate and propogandize the party view is condoned
so it does not surprise me that on the state and national levels there is strong push by the Republicans to restrict any funding that would lead to education of the masses...

[Kings Ranger]

I'm sort of pissed at the Federal Government for making all these cuts to services (which CUTS is LONG overdue, but not from services, from things we DON'T need though...)

I love libraries, and doubt I'd be half as intelligent as I am now without them, the whole experience of going to get online when our computer is broken, or get a book, use wi-fi, whatever-- was all good....

I'll be sad if I ever have kids and there are no libraries...

[FiddleDeeD]

Apparently we don't need knowledge centers. Who needs knowledge?

Apparently we do need to invade other countries, give corporations more money, build that extra fighter jet that will never be used (and costs as much as we would need to save Texas Education), and we really need more military toys for someone to play with. We also need to pay for the governor to have lavish parties and a fancy place to live.

What we do not need is to use our own money (taxes) to make an educated public with access to knowledge. I mean we don't need to use our own money for services that we could use to better ourselves. That would be a silly idea. So let's cut services. Let's all get on board with cutting services, education, healthcare etc and make sure we funnel more funding into big business interests because that is what Texans really need.

[loves2read]

so the Govenor should pay for his own place to stay--
I am totally on board with that

[FiddleDeeD]

"Rick Perry has spent almost $600,000 in public money during the past two years to live in a sprawling rental home in the hills above the capital, according to records obtained by The Associated Press"

10 grand a month. He has a salary and he is rich. Why should he get to live like this while teachers who pay their own rent are getting fired. All public employees.............

And we all knew this before the election.
What could 600K do for public libraries Rick?