Patrons mount stout defense of Rockford Public Library system
More than 100 people packed a Rockford Public Library board meeting to oppose a radical plan by the system's executive director that would close every branch including the main library and convert the system to 100 percent digital.
"Save Our Library raised its collective voice to the applause and cheers of library staff and patrons who worry that some of the proposed changes will put too big a dent in a sacred institution charged with preserving the great thoughts and ideas of mankind and fostering new ones," said an article in the Rockford Register Starr.
The library board voted to spend 34 percent of its acquisition budget on digital content in 2012, yet digital checkouts are running at only 3 percent.
"I just think it was a significant decision. It's a fairly large allocation to digital materials," Rockford resident Margie Veitch said to the newspaper. "Is that what our public wants? How do they know? I think it would be in their realm to have a citizens advisory board that they ask for input when making such significant decisions."
Karla Jensen-White, president of Local 3350, which represents library staff, spoke at the meeting in support of the community group.