How well would the United States function if each state were allowed only a single representative to a unicameral congress?
Tiny Rhode Island would then have as much say in the governing the country as New York or California. Would this be a fair arrangement? Most would agree it would not be workable or desirable.
But that is de facto how final decisions are made by the Lancaster County Library System. The unfair equal influence per library, regardless of size, has been the poison that has rendered the Lancaster Library System both ineffective and a waste of money from its inception.
The bulk of the county membership is served by three of the fourteen libraries. Yet, directly or indirectly, decisions are made by the majority of the fourteen members who make up the Directors Council.
By favoring (manipulating?) the smaller libraries, System bureaucrats have expanded their power. From being servant, they become master. The struggle has gone on from the System’s inception.
The latest System attempt is to redirect the contributions flowing to the Lancaster Public Library (Duke Street) by setting up a parallel System fund raising effort. Once the System can succeed in diverting funds to itself, it will have choked off any opposition. System bureaucrats will rule the roost, a very expensive an redundant one at that.
It is hard to believe that total take over of the libraries was not the hidden agenda of some of those who conceived the System.
Modify the bylaws of the System to distribute votes according to library service area populations and the System might begin to function properly. Otherwise, the county should take away the System’s charter and fund the libraries directly, letting them operate independently, cooperating in limited areas for economies to the extent they choose to do.
That is the way it used to be and it worked well for decades.
Please explain in detail exactly what the library system does and at what cost.
EDITOR: According to the System’s web site:
“The Mission of the Library System of Lancaster County is to bring together all 14 member public libraries to plan and create a cost effective network of technology, facilities and resources to meet the informational, educational and recreational needs of all the residents of Lancaster County. The Library System ensures that a network of support services is provided to member libraries.”
If they restricted themselves to their stated mission and did a good job, neither of which is the case, they would serve a useful purpose.