If you did not get it in the mail you can download a copy of the NRPL Foundation newsletter here.
New Rochelle Public Library Foundation supporters believe the Library is a centerpiece of our diverse community and plays a critical role in the future of our city and the overall quality of life. The Foundation’s work helps the Library fulfill its mission to “improve the life of every citizen in our city” and to encourage learning in all stages of life, protect intellectual freedom and provide fair and equal access to information.
Libraries Need to Be Disciplined as well as diverse
Frankly, I hate the word, “diverse.” It is divisive which is actually phonestically like diverse. Libaries have always represented an important community benchmark as did community bookstores. The latter is disappearing and libraries will continue to be challeged on the basis of keeping up with the prevailing trends in readership.
I fully support the library but find that, like many so called socially progressive enterprises, there is an absence of order and a disturbing touch of condescending even “noblesse oblige” attitude when describing their mission, importance, and community value. There is also too often a lack of sound business management, board oversight, and a growing lack of respect for the reader who seeks a haven for some reflective and quiet time from life’s moise and distraction. Libraries no longer are such havens.
I don’t know what is wrong with ensuring that young people behave appropraitely and that all people be told not to use cel phones and if they have them in their possession, to put them on vibration.
Of course, the diversity mavens in the audience will seek t impart some negative, even non-diverse overtones to these comments, but anyone who does is simply acting out some belief hueristics that require self promoting and don’t get the simple point that there are social rules that guide the behavior of people in communities: socially we all should be respectful in terms of our behavior in libraries and economically, we ought to manage scarce resources very carefully and ensure that the board is alert and responsible for appropriate oversight.
This said, the New Rochelle Library provides exceptional community-based services outside of the traditional core mission of a library. Exccellent use of facilities and well-manicured grounds speak well of this aspect of the business.
Glad you are here.