Who Wins, Exactly?

Still smarting from the shakeup in Minneapolis's library system? It could be worse. Residents of Treasure Island, Florida, will have to pay for their library cards--as much as $100 each--if the city commission has its way. Commissioners recently voted to withdraw from a larger library system, to which the town currently pays $107,132 a year. Commissioner Phil Collins is reported to have said that spending that money would be "doing a disservice" to Treasure Island residents.

If Treasure Island is able to leave the Gulf Beaches Public Library system, it could well be the end of the larger cooperative, too. Library Director Jan Horah said, "I can't cut $100,000 out of our budget. It takes almost $200,000 just to pay salaries," she said. "I don't know what we are going to do."

Details are here.--David E