City Hall Needs To Hear What You Think!

Los Angeles is in a financial crisis, and our Mayor and City Council have some very hard decisions to make. Jobs are being lost, services suspended, budgets and entire departments eliminated.

The Los Angeles Public Library system is on the chopping block, and it's up to the citizens of the city to tell Mayor Villaraigosa and the City Council that cuts to essential LAPL services will not be tolerated. In these challenging economic times especially, the community needs a safe place to go where they can learn, gather together, borrow freely and be assisted by professionals. Libraries serve the entire spectrum of the community, and they must be protected.

In 2008, visitors to this website spoke up to protect LAPL from deep proposed cuts, including branch closures, a depleted book buying budget, and a $1 per book inter-branch loan fee. Our elected leaders listened to you two years ago, and they need to hear your voice again.

How can you help Save LAPL?

1) REGISTER as a member of this site to stay informed about the threat to LAPL services and be involved in this ongoing campaign.

2) Use this website to SEND AN EMAIL to Mayor Villaraigosa and the City Council stating your support for a free Los Angeles Public Library. Our sample email is below, with room for your personal comments. Click SIGN to send.

3) Tell your friends to do the same.

Dear Mayor Villaraigosa and Councilmembers,

I write to express my great concern that the current city financial crisis will result in any further cuts to the operating budget of the Los Angeles Public Library. LAPL is already among the most poorly funded big city libraries, and especially in these challenging economic times, the community needs full access to its valuable services. The public library needs to be available for all citizens of Los Angeles, and I urge you to find some other way to balance the budget that doesn't cut Library hours, staffing or services, and doesn't result in closed branches. If you don't maintain LAPL funding, the negative results will be felt for generations. If we are going to find our way out of this crisis as a community, libraries will be an important tool. We are counting on you to protect this important resource for the people who love and need it. Thank you!