Update About Consolidation
The Minneapolis Public Library Trustees, the Minneapolis Mayor and City Council, the Hennepin County Board, The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library Board, and the Star Tribune have all recommended moving forward with a consolidation of the Minneapolis Public Library and the Hennepin County Library. All these groups agree that consolidation is the only feasible way to avoid further library closures and ensure that all county residents have access to great libraries.
But there is a very real chance that consolidation will be stopped at the state legislature in the coming days.
Help to keep our libraries open and restore lost services. We need people like you who care about libraries to contact your State Representative and State Senator as soon as possible, encouraging them to support consolidation to keep our libraries open.
Here is what’s at stake. If the consolidation goes forward, additional funds will be provided to re-open Roosevelt, Southeast, and Webber Park Libraries. In addition, we will join with the larger and more rapidly growing county tax base, helping to ensure quality library services over the long term. If the consolidation is voted down, Minneapolis is almost certain to close another three or more libraries by 2009. There will also be layoffs and further cuts to hours, collections, and services.
Here is the issue. All parties are committed to a consolidation in which there are no layoffs, no loss of accumulated benefits, and no loss of total wages. As a Star Tribune headline declared last Monday, “City workers won’t face lower wages under the bill.” However, AFSCME has opposed Hennepin County’s proposal for how wage protection would be achieved for 10 – 20% of MPL employees. While this is a legitimate issue, it’s resolvable. It cannot be allowed to derail legislation when so much is at stake. We may not get a second chance.
Don’t let another Minneapolis library close. Take this chance to contact your State Representative and Senator, urging them to support a consolidation that will provide all Hennepin County residents with the libraries they need.
You can find your representatives and their contact information by clicking here. To learn more about the consolidation call or e-mail Colin Hamilton, The Friends Executive Director, at (612) 630-6172 or cjhamilton@mplib.org.