Cleaning House

When you visit the library you will no doubt notice a large amount of non-fiction books for sale. In an effort to make our non-fiction collection more efficient and hopefully increase its usage, we are combining the juvenile non-fiction collection with the adult non-fiction collection. As part of the process I am looking at each book to determine its value to the library and the community. Because we are limited on space it is important that we maintain a collection that is relevant and timely. While there are always exceptions, the following guidelines are used in determining whether or not a book should be withdrawn:

• Has the book been checked out in the past 10 years?
• Is the content of the book accurate and up-to-date?
• Is the book in good general condition?
  

At this time we invite the public to visit the library and browse through the many books that have recently been withdrawn from our collection. Maybe there is one you would like to add to your own personal library. Hardback books are 25 cents a piece and paperback are 10 cents apiece. You can hardly find a better bargain! The money will be used to support the operations of the library.

New Services

The Meyersdale Public Library is excited to offer our patronage the option to download eAudiobooks onto their personal MP3 players, I-pods, or PCs. It is necessary for one of our librarians to assist individuals in establishing an account. Once an account has been created, it can be accessed from any computer. As is often the case with anything new, we are still trying to work out the bugs in the system. Please be patient as we strive to get the individual library collection accounts established. The NetLibrary eAudiobook service is being provided by the Somerset County Federated Library system. Making sure that each library within that system, ours included, has its own page has proven to be a challenge. I am keeping a close eye on the situation and will keep you updated on any progress made towards making this service efficient for our clientele.

Please take a moment to browse the new Help For Your Family Link on our web page. We understand that the current economic climate has been difficult for many of us. In an effort to help you and your family find the help you might be needing, we have listed county agencies and services designed to offer assistance to area families. For example, within the Community Action Partnership for Somerset County site you can find the following programs: Housing assistance, Utility assistance, Employment assistance, Welfare to Work, Transportation, Head Start, Life skills, Food Pantries, Workshops, and the Salisbury Family Center. If you have any questions about the sites listed in our new link, please contact us by email or phone.

Join the Discussion

In an effort to be better connected with our community, I have created a director's blog so that information and issues concerning the library can be efficiently, and hopefully effectively, communicated to our patrons. Our patrons are the heart and soul of the Meyersdale Public Library. What you think matters to us. Please feel free to respectfully contribute to the discussion. Knowing your needs will help us better serve you.

The most pressing issue facing Pennsylvania public libraries today is the current threat of major funding cuts. State funding enables our library to stay open. Without this financial support the Meyersdale Public Library will not be able to continue to offer the quality programming and services for which it has become so well-known. Being able to help our patrons further their education, obtain job and resume counseling, and appreciate the importance of literacy in their homes and families have been top priorities to the library staff and board. Please let your supportive voices for our library by contacting local legislators and sharing the following messages:

• Thank your Senator, Representative and the Governor for his past support of public libraries.
• Because libraries are a lifeline for the unemployed and their families, urge him to support
library funding as one of the priorities for level funding in the negotiations for a new state
budget.
• Tell him that public libraries all across Pennsylvania are busier than ever during this recession serving those looking for work, many without Internet access at home, and hundreds more of their constituents and families who need the library open more hours not fewer. (If you can, offer some specifics about just how much the library means to you in these tough times.)
• Remind him that the drastic, steep cuts (55%) included in the Senate amendments to the budget bill will force library closings and service cutbacks at a time when their constituents need libraries to be fully open and equipped to serve.
• Inform him that Pennsylvania stands to lose between $1.9 million and $4.3 million in federal money if any of the budget plans currently under consideration pass with deep cuts in library funding.

Listed below is the contact information for our government representatives:

Governor Rendell

Governor Edward G. Rendell's Office
225 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120

Website to email comment

http://www.governor.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/contact/2998

Senator Kasunic
Capitol Address
458 Capitol Building
Senate Box 203032
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3032
Fax: 717-787-0195

Rep. Carl Metzgar

E-mail: Cmetzgar@pahousegop.com
Capitol Office
149-A East Wing
PO Box 202069
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2069
Fax: (717) 787-2005

I would like to thank all our wonderful patrons and supporters who have offered their time, finances, and encouragement to our library. Every effort makes a difference!