I had the opportunity to attend a WAPL (Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries) Conference the end of April. It was at the Blue Harbor Resort in Sheboygan. It was a wonderful place for a conference. Not only did I learn new things, but I also had the opportunity to network with other librarians from around the State of Wisconsin. The opening and closing speeches were the most inspiring and they gave me some ideas on how to deal with strapped budgets. The sessions in between offered me a canopy of topics from children's programs to budgets to health and digitalization grants, to new gadgets that are out there. Joel McNally offered an enjoyable speech over lunch.
The thing i came back from this conference with was a realization that libraries are a vital service in a community. Mayors and city councils keep talking about how they can't cut vital services. Libraries are talked about as it they are not vital. I would argue that Libraries build communities. If we cut or shut the library, the community will suffer. Business rely on libraries and most new businesses will not come to a community that closes its library. Libraries educate the citizenry and make the voters knowledgeable. Schools benefit from having libraries introduce children to learning and by supplementing their students. It is a proven fact that children who use the library do better in school. Cutting libraries is a one solution that will lead to disaster. Speaker John Gurda said it best when he talked about the mentality of cutting at all costs and how it will take you to the bottom. He feels that the current "ramage of selfishness" is behind a lot of the tax cutting mentality. Individuals can afford all the conveniences at home, but are not willing to support the greater community through their taxes. The library is one resource that a community can provide that will benefit everyone in that community.
