You Told The Mayor What You Thought... and it worked!

Thank you to everyone who used this site to voice their support for the Library. We are delighted to report that the proposed $1 inter-branch loan fee was canceled, the Library had $2 million in book buying funds restored and the regional branches will continue staying open on Sundays. Read on for a message of thanks from City Librarian Fontayne Holmes.

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May 20, 2008

Dear Library Supporters,

When Kim Cooper and Richard Cooper informed me several weeks ago that they were launching SaveLAPL, the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) was facing a severe cut to its book budget and the elimination of Sunday service at branches.

All of us who work at the library know the value that Library users place on its services and resources. But the response generated by SaveLAPL.org was overwhelming. More than 1,300 people sent emails in support of the Library’s budget to the Mayor, City Council, Library Commission and me. In fact, the Budget and Finance Committee said that they received more e-mails, phone calls, and letters about the Library than any other City department.

Most importantly, your voice made a difference: Budget and Finance Committee recommended the restoration of $2 million to the book funds and $1.4 million to restore Sunday hours at the eight regional branch libraries. On May 19, the City Council approved a revised 2008-09 Budget for the City, which included these changes to the Library budget.

All of us at the Library greatly appreciate your support and hope that you will continue to use the Los Angeles Public Library by visiting your neighborhood library (71 branch libraries throughout the city), our Central Library in downtown, and by visiting us 24/7 at www.lapl.org.

Sincerely,

Fontayne Holmes
City Librarian

Dear Mayor Villaraigosa, Budget & Finance Committee members and City Librarian Holmes,

I write to express my great concern about the deep cuts that have been proposed for the Los Angeles Public Library budget and to ask that you act to fill them. Before the cuts of the past two years, Los Angeles was already near the bottom the list of large American cities in per capita library spending, and it has now falling even lower. The proposed 33% decrease in book-buying funds, Sunday closure of eight popular branch libraries and the layoffs of library staff threatens to turn what is already a deeply hobbled library system into a nationwide embarrassment. But we have the resources, imagination and passion in
Los Angeles to keep this from happening.

Earlier this month, citizens spoke up to urge that a proposed $1-per-book inter-branch loan fee be reconsidered, and this devastating suggestion has now been tabled. Now I implore you, as protectors of our great LAPL, to restore the book-buying budget, to keep Sunday hours for the regional branches, and not to cut library staff. With your enlightened guidance, this city can again be proud of its Free Public Library and citizens can continue to use its resources
to improve their minds and lives.