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Simplistic Floridian Says Libraries Are a Frill
March 4, 2008

Yes, folks, some people think the library's a frill--or even a waste. A March 2 op-ed in Florida's Gainesville Sun, headlined Pull the plug on the library, makes some rather simplistic contentions, including that the Internet has become the home for serious research, that recreational reading can be accomplished a big box bookstores, free books can be found at charitable outlets, and those who truly need Internet access could be subsidized by a small portion of the library budget.

In fact, writer George Elmore calculates that, given 1.2 million visits to the Alachua County Library District Library and a $19 million library budget, each visit costs about $15. Well, he's discounting all the remote visits and services. But maybe $15 is a pretty good deal, if you consider how many people leave the library with a stack of books or videos, or attend programs. Remember, you can't take those books home from bookstores without paying.

Posted by Norman Oder on March 4, 2008 | Comments (0)