Concern has been expressed that an article in the Sunday News might have led to confusion that the Commissioners intend to do away with the Library System, which is an organization consisting of all the libraries that performs certain mutual tasks. From taking over the relative simple tasks previously performed for all libraries in the basement of the Lancaster Public Library, the System grew into a well paid and well housed bureaucracy that consumed half of available government funding.
County commissioners are seeking guidance from an outside consultant as to how to best re-organize the System.
NewsLanc recommends that all the libraries be centrally managed by a blue ribbon System Board with each library retaining its own advisory board to assist in the activities of its particular library and provide advice to the System Board. The system should not be an independent ‘Authority’ but rather be under the jurisdiction of the county commissioners.
It is important that the System Board be made up of citizens who are not employees or advisory board members of the individual libraries to avoid the current divisive problem of each System board member representing his or her own library. The commissioners would do well to appoint educators, business executives, and representatives of non-governmental organizations which serve the community.
A central library board of trustees is a model that is widely in use throughout the country.
I disagree. The most efficient and effective use of taxpayer dollars would be to strip the former “Library System” of all functions EXCEPT for centralized Information Technology, and the Bookmobile. Adding yet another layer of management over top of local libraries only diverts desperately-needed and increasingly scarce funds AWAY from books and local staff, where it makes the greatest impact on the lives of the people of Lancaster City and County.