[Libs-Or] Congratulations! Governor's Volunteer Award Winner, Josephine Community Libraries

Tue Apr 1 14:09:55 PDT 2014

I grew up in Josephine County in the 50s and 60s when timber revenues
funded a wonderful library, where I spent much of my childhood.  Because of
the shameful lack of funding for public services in Josephine County, I
have come to see the Josephine Community Library as somewhat heroic.  I too
hope that this award doesn't give anyone the idea that this is an ideal way
to run a library, but I am glad that the town in which  I grew up has a
library again, for the sake of its children.

*Jane Salisbury*
Supervisor, Library Outreach Services
Multnomah County Library
205 NE Russell
Portland, OR 97212

Phone: 503.988.4081  Website: www.multcolib.org

*janesa at multcolib.org <xxxxxxx at multcolib.org>*
www.multcolib.org

On Tue, Apr 1, 2014 at 2:00 PM, Caleb TUCKER-RAYMOND <calebt at multco.us>wrote:

> MaryKay thanks for starting a discussion.
>
> 360 volunteers - wow! Even if no one is putting up any cash, that shows an
> outstanding commitment to library service by the community.
>
> I worry of course that celebrating volunteer-run public libraries gives
> legitimacy to the idea that we don't need to pay for them at all. But we
> can't ignore the fact that volunteer libraries exist. If we want people to
> fund libraries because publicly-funded libraries are better (for whatever
> reason), the burden is on us to prove it.
>
>
> Caleb Tucker-Raymond
>
> Statewide Reference Service Coordinator
> Multnomah County Library
> (503) 988-5438
> calebt at multco.us
> www.answerland.org
>
>
> On Tue, Apr 1, 2014 at 11:44 AM, MaryKay Dahlgreen <
> marykay.dahlgreen at state.or.us> wrote:
>
>>  Dear Colleagues,
>>
>> As I expected, there have been concerns expressed to me about celebrating
>> this volunteer library.
>>
>>
>>
>> My perspective on this is that the citizens of Josephine County didn’t
>> want to wait a great  length of time without library service, especially
>> for their children. They are very up front about the fact that their
>> current situation is unsustainable and are even now collecting signatures
>> to put a library district on the ballot in November 2014. I like to think
>> of the creation of the non-profit Josephine Community Libraries, Inc. as an
>> emergency response and they have been building towards sustainability ever
>> since.
>>
>>
>>
>> I would also guess that the none of the public libraries in Oregon would
>> be able to function at their current level without volunteers, I know that
>> OSL couldn’t.
>>
>>
>>
>> And finally, the political and financial situation in Josephine County is
>> quite different than in other areas of Oregon, particularly the Willamette
>> Valley.
>>
>>
>>
>> I think this is an important topic of discussion and would welcome other
>> comments.
>>
>>
>>
>> MaryKay
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* Libs-Or [mailto:libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us] *On
>> Behalf Of *MaryKay Dahlgreen
>> *Sent:* Monday, March 31, 2014 3:47 PM
>> *To:* (libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us)
>> *Subject:* [Libs-Or] Congratulations! Governor's Volunteer Award Winner,
>> Josephine Community Libraries
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *Not-for-Profit Volunteer Program: *Josephine Community Libraries of
>> Grants Pass
>>
>> Without the volunteers at Josephine Community Libraries, 83,000
>> Oregonians wouldn’t have access to a public library. Josephine Community
>> Libraries formed in fall 2007, after the county closed its libraries due to
>> funding cuts and the failure of a ballot initiative for a library district.
>> The nonprofit today operates all the county’s libraries, with volunteers
>> filling core roles: cataloging and shelving books, providing information to
>> library users, hosting children’s story times, checking books in and out,
>> marketing, communications, fundraising, outreach, facilities maintenance
>> and more. The system has 360 dedicated volunteers. About 2,500 patrons
>> check out items from the libraries each month, and 1,700 patrons use the
>> public Internet computers. The system also has special programs for
>> children: First Steps for toddlers, K-9 Reading Buddies for young readers,
>> story times and the Summer Reading Program. It also has the Expanding
>> Opportunities Program, which provides deeper access to library resources
>> and community partners, helping people improve their prospects in
>> education, employment and entrepreneurship.
>>
>>
>>
>> For more information on the Governor’s Volunteer Awards:
>> http://www.oregonvolunteers.org/
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> MaryKay Dahlgreen
>>
>> Oregon State Librarian
>>
>> 503-378-4367
>>
>> marykay.dahlgreen at state.or.us
>>
>> http://oregon.gov/osl
>>
>> [image: library logo.jpg]
>>
>>
>>
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>
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