More CA Silliness: Steinbeck's Hometown Closes Libraries.

Published on December 16, 2004 By Gideon MacLeish In Current Events

John Steinbeck's hometown of Salinas, California, is closing its three libraries to save $3 million to make up an $8 million shortfall. In what I would deem one of the saddest indicators of the declining literacy of our society, this community of 155,000 has deemed libraries to not be worth the money.

Now, I might not be the brightest bulb on the tree, but it seems reasonable to me for them to eliminate 2 of the 3 branches to reduce their expenditures and find other areas to cut. I truly hope this is not, as with many California trends, something that will influence other cities nationwide.

Have to wonder if they're working on street signs: "Salinas, California. Home of John Steinbeck and opponent of literacy".

Comments

bakerstreet

on Dec 16, 2004

The city manager said he hoped they would be re-opened. In fairness, the population there rejected a half-cent sales tax that would have allowed them to remain open, even after they were already cut back to just being open in the afternoons.

If they are cutty back police, as well, I think the good citizens of Salinas value a half-cent on the dollar a lot more than they should...

For contrast, my town in Kentucky, Lexington, has a population of 260,000, (about 100k more folks) and has 7 library locations. a town of 155k can't afford ANY? To me, I think there is a lot more going on with local government there in Salinas than a lack of respect for literacy...

Gideon MacLeish

on Dec 16, 2004

True....Pampa Texas has a population of about 17,000, and a reasonably sized library and a mighty impressive bank of computers (so much that there's virtually no time limit on access during the day on weekdays...a 2 hour limit at peak times).

The state of California is all about waste, though...and it leads me to believe that it's THAT fact rather than the value of a half cent that caused the referendum to be rejected.

At any rate, I cannot imagine a community without libraries...and cringe at even the remotest possibility that it might one day be a fact of our future.

on Dec 16, 2004

At any rate, I cannot imagine a community without libraries...and cringe at even the remotest possibility that it might one day be a fact of our future.

Yeah. That's really sad. How the hell are researchers supposed to research at now? Internet is great but there's lot of limitations.

I'm glad I don't live at California. Actually I was glad before this news, but that just makes me gladder.

on Dec 16, 2004

At any rate, I cannot imagine a community without libraries...and cringe at even the remotest possibility that it might one day be a fact of our future.

Spc Nobody Special

on Dec 16, 2004

Idiots. Shame though, you'd think with all the money floating around the valley there, they'd be able to make budget though. Between Monterey, San Jose, Carmel, and San Fran, you can hardly throw a rock without hitting at least three millionares.

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