News & Clues - December 1998

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Volume 40, No. 3 December 1998


A MODERN LIBRARY FABLE    

Once there was a Golden Age in our Golden State, when well-funded public 
libraries seemed the rule rather than the exception.  Really, there never 
was a time when library coffers overflowed with unspent riches, but it 
seemed that way when patrons and staff looked back in later years.  That 
was because three terrible curses fell upon these unsuspecting 
institutions, over the course of two painful decades.

The first curse was a mighty horde of taxpayers, angered over seemingly 
endless property tax increases.  A champion named Jarvis led them on, 
chanting, "We're mad as hell and not giving any more!"  They stormed 
polls and changed laws.  And when, in the fullness of time, this angry 
horde drew back, the once-proud public service sector was reduced to chaos 
and poverty.  People still expected services, so the survivors had to fight 
over the remaining scraps.  Some branded public libraries a ‘nonessential 
service', and the flow of funding slowed to a trickle.

The second curse was the lure of the Golden State.  As in the Gold Rush 
and Dust Bowl eras, the world rushed in during the 1980s and California's 
population soared.  Libraries with sharply reduced funding had many, many 
new patrons to serve.

The third curse was the sinking value of the dollar. Inflation greatly 
reduced the purchasing power of library budgets.  Moreover, the rising 
cost of library materials often outstripped inflation.

Less money, more people, less buying power -- the equation added up to 
disaster.  Public library services dried up.  A few libraries died.  
Then, from many corners, new champions came forth. Libraries had not 
been forgotten.  Determined voices preserved the dream that public 
libraries could be -- and should be -- great institutions once more.  

Donations poured in, but public coffers remained lean.  And the Number of 
the Beast lay over all rescue plans: the Thirteenth Proposition of Jarvis 
commanded, "Thou must have 66.6% voter approval to adopt new taxation."  
Special library tax measures were devised and placed before the people.  
Voter approval ran 55%, 60%, sometimes nearly 65%.  Many despaired of ever 
achieving the magic number, but support became ever stronger with time.  
Library tax measures were reformulated to avoid early objections and tried 
again.  Some have been approved, and in these happy places public 
libraries have grown and blossomed like thirsty plants.  It happened in 
Marin County, it happened in San Francisco, and on November 3, 1998, it 
happened for the Fresno County and Coalinga-Huron libraries.

This tale has no real ending, since endings are what we've been trying 
to avoid.  Nor can we truly speak of a "happy ever after" -- the future 
of libraries is not something easily foretold.  No, the only clear lesson 
here is that people still want good libraries, and are willing to pay for 
them.  May all California public libraries experience such blessings!


	CALENDAR

	Library of California Forum
	 January 8, 1999, 8:30 a.m. (registration) at Smugglers Inn, Fresno

	SJVLS Reference Committee 
	 January 13, 1999, 10:00 a.m. at Tulare Co. Library, Visalia

	SJVLS Collection Development Committee 
	 January 13, 1999, 10:00 a.m., at the Tulare Co. Library, Visalia

 	SJVLS Cataloging Committee
	 January 14, 1999, 10:00 a.m. at the Tulare Public Library, Tulare

	SJVLS Administrative Council
	 January 15, 1999, 10:00 a.m., at the Tulare Co. Library, Visalia

	SJVLS Advisory Board
	 January 15, 1999, 10:00 a.m., at the Tulare Co. Library, Visalia
 
	SJVLS Automation Committee
	 January 27, 1999, 10:00 a.m. the Tulare Co. Library, Visalia	 

	SJVLS Children's and Youth Services Committee
	 February 3, 1999, 10:00 a.m. at the Tulare Co. Library, Visalia

 	SJVLS Circulation Committee
	 dates not set

Please report all meeting dates, changes and cancellations to Dave DeLaurant
at (559) 488-3229.  Meeting times and locations are subject to change -- 
the latest data is available at the following website:  
http://www.sjvls.lib.ca.us/sjvls/meetings.html


PUBLIC LIBRARY STAFF EDUCATION PROGRAM
by Dr. Kevin Starr, State Librarian of California

I am pleased to announce a new program aimed at assisting staff members 
secure the library education they may be seeking, which ultimately will 
improve the services received by the public.  The new Public Library Staff 
Education Program was developed by a team of public library staff and 
managers at all levels in response to the results of the scholarship 
survey conducted at the annual forum of public library directors held 
in the Spring of this year.  Under this new program, California public 
library staff seeking either an ALA-accredited master's degree in library 
and information science, or a library technician AA degree or certificate 
are eligible to apply for tuition reimbursement for their course work on 
a competitive basis.  Copies of the new program application form and 
guidelines have been distributed to public library directors throughout 
California (SJVIS has one copy.)  Since this is a new program, I and my 
staff are interested in your experiences with this first year of the 
program.  If you have any suggestions for improvement of the program, 
please do not hesitate to contact Kathy Low at  or 
(916) 653-6822.


LIBRARY JOBS

Monterey County is currently seeking a new Managing Librarian, a 
management level class position that involves a variety of managerial 
professional library functions, including membership on the County Library 
Senior Management Team (sounds like you'd better know how to manage for 
this!)  Monthly salary runs $3698-$4579.  Qualifications include a valid 
California class C driver's license and a thorough or working knowledge 
of a whole list of library and/or community-related stuff; however, an MLS 
degree is not listed amongst the requirements!  Filing deadline is 
5:00 p.m. on January 12, 1999.  Monterey Co. is also looking for a Library 
Assistant III at this time, with a filing deadline of December 22, 1998.  
Contact the Monterey Co. Human Resources Division at (831) 647-7726 for 
more information.

The San Jose Public Library is recruiting for the positions of Librarian 
I/II Specialist.  The current vacancy is a Children's Librarian position 
at their Biblioteca Latino Americana, and they will consider candidates 
at either the Librarian I Specialist ($43,992-$53,520 annually) level 
which requires no experience, or the Librarian II Specialist ($46,620-
$56,664) which requires one year of professional library experience. 
There will be a second position added to this branch in the Spring of 
1999.  Positions require a MLS and the ability to read, speak and write 
both the Spanish and English languages.  San Jose also has Substitute 
Librarian ($21.07-$25.63 per hour, MLS required) positions available.  
Contact Nora Rodriguez at (408) 277-4873 regarding any of these library 
positions.

As a result of Measure B's passage, look for significant expansion of 
library services in Fresno County in the near future.  Expansion means 
additional personnel; the Fresno Co. Library's current plan estimates 
well over one hundred additional positions, more than thirty of which 
ill be for professional librarians.  So if you're looking for library 
work, the Fresno County Public Library and the Coalinga-Huron District 
Library will be two excellent places to watch.


LIBRARY OF CALIFORNIA FORUMS
by Dr. Kevin Starr, State Librarian

With the passage of SB 409 (The Library of California), plans that were 
so carefully crafted over many years are now coming into reality.  The 
law itself was developed through the same consensus-based planning process 
that characterized the entire planning process, and now I invite you to 
provide input on the regulations that will interpret the law.  Since it 
will also be necessary to develop funding formulas for reimbursements to 
all types of libraries for access services (ILL, electronic direct access, 
direct loan, patron referral and onsite services), your advice will be 
sought in these areas as well.  Information and registration forms are 
attached for all-day Library of California forums, which are tentatively 
(locations approximate) scheduled for:

Chico - Wednesday 1/6/99
Fresno - Friday 1/8/99
Temecula - Monday 1/14/99
Pasadena - Thursday 1/14/99
Oakland - Friday 1/15/99

People who register by December 20 are guaranteed space, while late 
registration is on a first-come, first-served basis and subject to space 
availability.  A registration fee of $10, which covers lunch, will be 
payable at the door -- do not send money with your registration form.  
Confirmation packets will be mailed that contain the draft regulations 
and maps for the conference site.