THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 17, 1995 TAG: 9510170002
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A18 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
The Norfolk City Council's tentative agreement to increase support of the library system is welcome news. Better late than never.
Steve Story, chairman-elect of the library's board of trustees, told City Council last Tuesday of plans to build a world-class library system and asked, ``Are we wasting our time and energy? What are your marching orders?''
Mayor Paul D. Fraim said, ``This notion that we ought to have a world-class library rings very well with this council.''
Over the past five years, the library system's budget has been cut by a fifth, it's staff by a third. Ever-increasing numbers of Norfolk residents have used libraries in neighboring cities.
``We feel we are ready to dust ourselves off and move forward,'' said Sally Reed, Norfolk's new library director.
In a better world, the state would fund regional libraries the way it funds regional jails, paying up to half of construction costs. South Hampton Roads could build a jewel of a regional research library and a regional library system.
But such a research library would have to be located in one of the five cities, and the other four cities' enthusiasm for it might prove less than great.
Norfolk is wise to build up its own system now.
For starters, money raised by Friends of the Norfolk Public Library will be used over the next 100 days to overhaul the Park Place branch, which will focus on preschool and adult learning, teenage materials and African American literature, culture and history.
Next comes serious listening to focus groups from other parts of the city to determine what citizens want. If the money is there, a system would be designed to meet community desires.
Norfolk has 11 library branches, in addition to the main library, Kirn Memorial, downtown. Any Norfolk child is within a brief bicycle ride of a library branch. ``One of the most important roles libraries play,'' Reed said, ``is to serve children. Not all parents will get in cars and take them to the library.'' Story noted that many Norfolk residents lack cars for driving to central libraries.
The branches, however, aren't cheap. About 31 percent of the library-system budget is spent on them directly. Counting support for them at the main office, about 40 percent of the system budget goes to branches.
In modern lean times, the trend has been toward centralized libraries, with fewer branches.
If possible, Reed would prefer to retain the branches, but with many changes. Each would be less a small version of the main library and more a reflection of the surrounding community and ideally a source of community pride. Duplication of books and services would be avoided where possible. A book on how to build decks would not be stocked in branches where few people built decks. Still, such a book could be made available to a branch one day after it was requested.
One point should be emphasized: A strong central research library is useful to many small businesses in a city. Data and information that small business people cannot afford to buy is readily available there for free. At Kern, the business section is a busy place. Also, a strong research library is an attraction for businesses considering moving here.
Story told City Council, ``Great cities have great libraries.'' Without question, libraries are a crucial part of a city's infrastructure. They help some residents prosper; they make many residents' lives richer; they help parents teach children to love knowledge and books. by CNB