ReportsCUPERTINO LIBRARY JUNE 2018
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CUPERTINO LIBRARY
MONTHLY REPORT – JUNE 2018
Our Cupertino Library monthly report highlights the diverse collections, programs, and
outreach our staff provide to our Cupertino community. For more information, please
contact me at 408.446.1677 or at cvaresio@sccl.org. – Clare Varesio, Community Librarian
DID YOU KNOW?
Cupertino Library is pleased to recognize our two winners in Santa Clara
County Library District’s 2018 Teen Poetry Contest - Anusikha Halder and
Grace Wong. The contest, which began in 2007, has recognized middle
school and high school teen poetry at each library within the Santa
Clara County Library District. All of the winners are recognized with their
poetry being published online, a physical book of poetry featuring the
year's winners, and a $50 check, sponsored by the Friends of the
Cupertino Library. Each winner is also sponsored in the national level
VOYA Teen Poetry Contest. Winning entries can be read at
https://www.sccl.org/Teens/Contests/Teen-Poetry-Contest-Winners/2018-Teen-Poetry-Contest-
Winners.
MAY 2018 CIRCULATION STATISTICS
2018 2017
NEW PATRONS 663 516
VISITORS 73,981 70,152
ADULT & TEEN CIRCULATION 79,583 77,904
CHILDREN'S CIRCULATION 112,827 110,926
OVERDRIVE EBOOK CIRCULATION 5,851 4,283
TOTAL CIRCULATION 192,410 188,830
CUPERTINO LIBRARY JUNE 2018
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LIBRARY NEWS
Cupertino Library offered an additional 27.5 hours of
service to our community during the month of June,
part of our library’s hours expansion which began on
June 1. Over these new hours in June, 4,554 patrons
visited the library,
Cupertino Library also began passport service in April,
and over the three months of service, 502 passport
applications have been taken from our office.
Comments from applicants include, “Efficient, organized, and friendly”, “Customer service was
great” and “Awesome experience! Would recommend to all friends and family”.
Thank you to our amazing library staff who help make these services possible!
JUNE 2018 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
2018 2017
ADULT PROGRAMS 12 11
TEEN PROGRAMS 5 3
PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS 13 17
SCHOOL AGE PROGRAMS 21 19
TOTAL LIBRARY PROGRAMS 51 50
ADULT PROGRAM ATTENDANCE 452 473
TEEN PROGRAM ATTENDANCE 130 238
PRESCHOOL PROGRAM ATTENDANCE 1,040 1,444
SCHOOL AGE PROGRAM ATTENDANCE 1,536 713
TOTAL PROGRAM ATTENDANCE 3,158 2,868
JUNE 9 EXPANDED HOURS CELEBRATION
CUPERTINO LIBRARY JUNE 2018
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We celebrated Cupertino Library’s new expanded hours with three events on Saturday, June 9.
Python Ron’s Reptile Kingdom, sponsored by the Friends of the Cupertino Library, delighted a
crowd of over 200 with lizards, snakes and more. The Michele Pollace Jazz Trio, also sponsored by
the Friends, graced the courtyard with their blend of Afro-Caribbean music. Storytelling group
Eth-No-Tec brought tales of south-east Asia to life for over 80 attendees. A recording of this
program, sponsored by Cupertino Library Foundation, is available at
https://youtu.be/cGo48MtVDgA.
ADULT & TEEN PROGRAMS
Our first adult summer reading program, Amazon Jungle
Treasures, featured the photography of Joan Sparks. Ms. Sparks
spoke to 25 attendees about her travels in Brazil and the
amazing variety of wildlife to be found in the Amazon River
region.
The major teen event in June was the Teen Entrepreneur
workshop, presented by local teen group IDEA – Innovative
Development by Entrepreneurs Association. A “Shark Tank”
presentation and competition ended the series. Congratulations to team Fashion Dimension for
their Fashion 3D idea, an app that enables users to determine the right fit and right clothes for the
user’s body.
CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS
Our series of Children’s Summer Reading programs
kicked off with Opera San Jose performers answering
the question, “What is Opera?” Next up was the
Great Jonathan, magician extraordinaire who
delighted a capacity crowd with his deft slight- of-
hand tricks. Our third program was an interactive
world music celebration by Bonnie Lockhart. 678
attendees enjoyed these performances, generously
sponsored by the Friends of the Cupertino Library.
JUNE 2018 LIBRARY OUTREACH
2018 2017
OUTREACH EVENTS 9 10
OUTREACH ATTENDANCE 187 512
TOTAL VOLUNTEER HOURS 714 899
This month’s Senior Center outreach included classes on using Freegal and Discover & Go.
CUPERTINO LIBRARY JUNE 2018
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UPCOMING JULY 2018 PROGRAMS
We thank the Friends of the Cupertino Library and the Cupertino Library Foundation for their
generous support of our library programs! To view all upcoming events, visit
https://www.sccl.org/Locations/Cupertino.
FRIDAY, June 1 to TUESDAY, July 31 – Summer Reading 2018 Registration – Sign up today!
THURSDAYS, July 5, 12, 19, 26, 10:30 am, Library Courtyard – Children’s Garden Open Hours
SATURDAY, July 7, 2:00 pm, Library Story Room - Teen Activism & Bystander Intervention Training
Workshop *
WEDNESDAY, July 11, 3:00 pm, Library Story Room – Teen Paint Program *
THURSDAY, July 12, 3:00 pm, Community Hall – Circus of Smiles
THURSDAY, July 12, 7:00 pm, Library Story Room – Children’s Literature for Adults Book Club Reads
Harriet the Spy
SATURDAY, July 14, 12:00 pm, Library Courtyard – Courtyard Concerts Featuring Guitarist John
Lester
MONDAY, July 16, 7:00 pm, Library Story Room – Treasured Lands with Author / Photographer QT
Luong
WEDNESDAY, July 18, 3:00 pm, Community Hall – Comedy Sportz
THURSDAY, July 19, 7:00 pm, Library Story Room – Adult Book Discussion Reads Testimony by Anita
Shreve
SATURDAY, July 21, 2:00 pm, Community Hall – Adventures in Space: History of the Space Program
WEDNESDAY, July 25, 3:00 pm, Community Hall – The Puppet Co.
THURSDAY, July 26, 2:00 pm, Library Story Room – Shrinky Dinks for Teens *
SATURDAY, July 28, 12:00 pm, Library Courtyard – Courtyard Concerts Featuring Dave Rocha Jazz
Trio
* Registration required.
FOLLOW THE LIBRARY!
Cupertino Library Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CupertinoLibrary
SCCLD Newsletter – https://www.sccl.org/About/Library-News/Newsletter
Serving the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County and the cities of Campbell | Cupertino | Gilroy | Los Altos | Los Altos Hills | Milpitas | Monte Sereno |
Morgan Hill | Saratoga
July 2018
Commission Report
Nancy Howe, County Librarian
Say Hello to Go Go Biblio
Take a bookmobile, make it electric, then shrink it
down to adorable size and you have the new Go Go
Biblio. Santa Clara County Library District will have
four Go Go Biblio mini mobile libraries arriving in
late July. They are ‘fun sized’ electric vehicles
designed to bring the library out to farmer’s markets,
events, schools, senior centers, recreation centers
and so much more. Because they are electric vehicles filled with books, movies, music and
more, we like to say they’re Powered by Imagination.
Cupertino, Los Altos/Woodland and
Saratoga will have their own Go Go
Biblios thanks to funding provided by the
Friends of the Cupertino Library, Los
Altos Library Endowment and Friends of
the Saratoga Libraries respectively. A
fourth vehicle will be available to rotate
between the other libraries. This is a
great opportunity for SCCLD to take
advantage of outreach opportunities
within the community.
When you see one in your neighborhood, at the library or at a local event, be sure to come by
and say “Hello Go Go Biblio!”
Serving the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County and the cities of Campbell | Cupertino | Gilroy | Los Altos | Los Altos Hills | Milpitas | Monte Sereno |
Morgan Hill | Saratoga
Summer Reading - Mid Point Check in
We’re halfway through Summer Reading with almost 20,000
enrolled (3/4 of our goal) and over 33,000 books logged to date
(1/3 of our community reading goal of 100,000 books). With
one more month to go, and most patrons logging their books
toward the end of the program, we’re confident we’re on track to
meet our Summer Reading goals.
There’s still time to participate if you haven’t yet registered or logged your books. Register,
read at least 5 books and log them for a chance to win prizes from the SF 49ers, Tech
Museum, Gilroy Gardens, Happy Hollow & Zoo, Monster Jam, Bounce-a-Rama and more.
Remember, all reading is good reading!
Library Ballot Measures Under Discussion
Campbell Library and Los Altos Library could be in for a renovation and/or new library if their
City Councils vote to put a measure on the November ballot. Campbell City Manager, working
with Godbe Research, conducted a survey in March 2018 gauging resident support to update
the Campbell Library and Police Department. Based on the survey results, City Council is
discussing a $50 million bond measure for this purpose. The details are still under discussion
as to what would be included and the split between the two facilities. The next City Council
meeting where it will be discussed will be held Tue, July 17.
The North County Library Association has established a Library Renovation Task Force with
representatives from NCLA, LALE, Friends of the Los Altos Library and the Los Altos City
Manager in support of a new Los Altos Library. They have updated the 2008 needs
assessment report, as well as worked with Group 4 to identify the space requirements and
estimated cost. A survey was developed in cooperation with Godbe research and the Los
Altos City Manager to test resident support for a 40,000 sq ft new Los Altos Library. The
survey, which went into the market the week of June 25, will test multiple funding levels
including $35 million, $45 million and $55 million as well as support for a parcel tax or a bond
measure. The results will be shared with the Library Renovation Task Force on July 11 and
based on the results, a measure could be proposed to the Los Altos City Council to go onto the
November 2018 ballot.
Serving the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County and the cities of Campbell | Cupertino | Gilroy | Los Altos | Los Altos Hills | Milpitas | Monte Sereno |
Morgan Hill | Saratoga
ESL Classes Coming in August
Did you know that 37% of Santa Clara County’s
population are foreign born? We live in a diverse
county, rich in various cultures. In support of our
community, starting in August, we will offer free adult
English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at
Milpitas and Gilroy Libraries on weeknights. Classes
will be offered on Mondays and Wednesdays, from
August 6 to December 19. The Milpitas Library class
will start at 6pm and end at 8pm, while the Gilroy
Library will take place from 6:30 until 8:30 pm.
ESL instruction can help patrons improve their listening, speaking, pronunciation, reading, and
writing skills at home and at work. The ESL classes are designed to help patrons increase their
vocabulary, learn common English phrases, learn about American culture, and meet new
people. Sign ups will be taken at the Milpitas and Gilroy reference desks.
Library Trends:
San Diego Public Library is the first California library system to eliminate overdue library fees.
It has been an ongoing discussion amongst many library systems nationwide with more and
more libraries interested in doing away with overdue fees. The big questions include:
Are overdue fines necessary? Do they modify behavior to encourage patrons to return their
materials on time? Do the benefits of having overdue fees outweigh the drawbacks? San
Diego Public Library and the San Diego City Council made the decision to eliminate overdue
library fees for all ages with the change effective as of July 1, 2018.
Serving the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County and the cities of Campbell | Cupertino | Gilroy | Los Altos | Los Altos Hills | Milpitas | Monte Sereno |
Morgan Hill | Saratoga
Wave goodbye to overdue fees at the San Diego Public Library
Posted: Jun 29, 2018 9:35 AM PDTUpdated: Jun 29, 2018 11:50 AM PDT
SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - Good news for people who constantly return library books late.
Beginning July 1st, the San Diego Public Library will no longer charge a daily fee for items
returned past their due date. The new policy will allow staff to use its time and resources much
more efficiently.
The library collects $675,000 in fees each year, but spends over $1 million to collect them.
The library expects the new policy to improve access to low-income communities where,
according to an analysis by the City of San Diego, over 40% of library cardholders can’t check
out materials because of late fees.
The new Library Fine Policy is as follows:
- 1 day after the item is due, materials are
considered late. If you have an overdue item,
your library card will be blocked and you will not
be able to check-out any additional items. You
are still able to use the library and renew other
materials you have checked out.
- 7 days after the item is due, the library will
send you an email alerting you that your library
materials are overdue and must be returned or
renewed.
- 14 days after the item is due, the library will
email you a second reminder to return or renew
your items.
- 30 days after the item is due, the library will
consider the items lost and email you an invoice for the cost of the overdue item, applicable
service fees, and your library card will be barred, preventing you from renewing or checking
out items.
- 60 days after the item is due, the debt will be transferred to the City Treasurer. Your library
card will be barred until the library is notified by the City Treasurer that the fine has been paid.
CUPERTINO LIBRARY JULY 2018
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CUPERTINO LIBRARY
MONTHLY REPORT – JULY 2018
Our Cupertino Library monthly report highlights the diverse collections, programs, and
outreach our staff provide to our Cupertino community. For more information, please
contact me at 408.446.1677 or at cvaresio@sccl.org. – Clare Varesio, Community Librarian
DID YOU KNOW?
The Reading Program is a free service of the Santa Clara County
Library District which helps qualifying adults improve their basic
reading, writing, math, and computer skills. To become a Reading
Program tutor, you must be at least 18 years old, have an
understanding of basic English, and be able to communicate in a
learner-centered environment. The program offers expert training
and support, and no previous teaching experience is required. To
volunteer for The Reading Program, call (408) 262-1349 or email readingprogram@sccl.org.
Cupertino’s Poet Laureate Kaecey McCormick is a Reading Program volunteer tutor, and we
encourage you to join her!
JUNE 2018 CIRCULATION STATISTICS
2018 2017
NEW PATRONS 868 718
VISITORS 80,303 79,215
PASSPORT APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED 164 ---
ADULT & TEEN CIRCULATION 92,464 85,260
CHILDREN'S CIRCULATION 128,571 124,430
OVERDRIVE EBOOK CIRCULATION 7,192 4,357
TOTAL CIRCULATION 221,035 209,690
CUPERTINO LIBRARY JULY 2018
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LIBRARY NEWS
Cupertino Library has a new aquarium display! We encourage you
to check out our new display panels along the aquarium ledge,
featuring information about the aquarium and its fish. Special thanks
goes to staff from the city of Cupertino’s Public Works department –
Roger Lee, Ken Tanase, and Robert Griffiths – for planning, building
and installing the display, as well as SCCLD’s graphic designer Julie
Mount for the display design.
Summer Reading is a success! Over 7,000 readers signed up for Summer
Reading at Cupertino Library this year. Thank you all for reading this summer!
We also welcome Robyn McCreight to our Cupertino Library Children’s Room as our new
Children’s Supervising Librarian. Robyn worked for SCCLD for 8 years before moving to Mountain
View Library as a Children’s librarian. We are excited to welcome her back, and look forward to
working with her.
JULY 2018 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
2018 2017
ADULT PROGRAMS 19 15
TEEN PROGRAMS 4 3
PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS 13 16
SCHOOL AGE PROGRAMS 21 25
TOTAL LIBRARY PROGRAMS 57 59
ADULT PROGRAM ATTENDANCE 1,445 655
TEEN PROGRAM ATTENDANCE 89 54
PRESCHOOL PROGRAM ATTENDANCE 1,094 1,308
SCHOOL AGE PROGRAM ATTENDANCE 1,324 1,543
TOTAL PROGRAM ATTENDANCE 3,952 3,560
CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS
Our Children’s Summer Reading programs have continued to be a
hit! We laughed at the comedic acrobatics of Circus of Smiles and
learned improv techniques from the team at Comedy Sportz. The last
show of the month was the popular Puppet Company where we
watched the Tales of Panchatantra come to life. Over 800 people
joined us for our Summer Reading events in July. These programs are
generously sponsored by Friends of the Cupertino Library.
CUPERTINO LIBRARY JULY 2018
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ADULT & TEEN PROGRAMS
This month we took advantage of the lovely summer weather to offer two
outdoor courtyard concerts, generously sponsored by the Friends of the
Cupertino Library. Gabrielle Moroder on guitar and the Dave Rocha Trio
each attracted over 90 people to enjoy the sun in our courtyard. To
celebrate the 60th anniversary of NASA, we had a talk on space exploration
given by an actual NASA rocket scientist, with 57
attendees. Our third Wellness program, sponsored by
Cupertino Library Foundation, attracted 37
attendees for a program on skin care presented by
licensed cosmetologist Kokila Shah.
Teen programming included creative outlets for both
traditional artists and coders. 30 teens enjoyed a paint party and shrinky
dink program. Meanwhile, 43 teens have been working on their apps for
the Social Justice App contest, sponsored by the Friends of the Cupertino
Library.
JULY 2018 LIBRARY OUTREACH
2018 2017
OUTREACH EVENTS 7 12
OUTREACH ATTENDANCE 132 240
TOTAL VOLUNTEER HOURS * 850
Monthly outreach visits to the Cupertino Senior Center included demonstrations of Acorn TV and
Discover & Go. In addition, Children’s librarians visited two Cupertino preschools, brining songs
and stories to 100 children and caregivers.
COMING SOON: Our new Go Go Biblio mobile library!
Generously funded by the Friends of the Cupertino Library, this
vehicle will help us take materials and information about our
library out into Cupertino. We are looking for sites to visit in the
Cupertino community, and welcome your suggestions.
CUPERTINO LIBRARY JULY 2018
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UPCOMING AUGUST 2018 PROGRAMS
We thank the Friends of the Cupertino Library and the Cupertino Library Foundation for their
generous support of our library programs! To view all upcoming events, visit
https://www.sccl.org/Locations/Cupertino.
WEDNESDAY, August 1 to FRIDAY, August 31 – Pick up your prize for Summer Reading!
WEDNESDAY, August 1, 3:00 pm, Community Hall – The Bubble Lady
THURSDAY, August 2 and MONDAY, August 13, 7:00 pm, Story Room – Reading Buddies *
TUESDAYS, August 7, 14 and 21, 5:00 pm, Cupertino Senior Center – Saddle Up and Move ‘Em Out!
The Best of the Western Film Series
SATURDAY, August 11, 12:00 pm, Library Courtyard – Courtyard Concerts: Singer Gaby Castro-
Moroder
SATURDAY, August 11, 4:00 pm, Story Room – Bath Bombs for Teens *
WEDNESDAY, August 15, 10:15 am, Community Hall – Early Learning Concert with MaryLee Sunseri
WEDNESDAY, August 15, 7:00 pm, Story Room – Rambling in England and Wales with
Photographer David Couzens
SATURDAY, August 18, 2:00 pm, Community Hall – Science Experiment on the International Space
Station with NASA Scientist Christina Cheung
WEDNESDAY, August 22, 10:15 am, Community Hall – Early Learning Concert with Matt Fernald
WEDNESDAY, August 22, 7:00 pm, Story Room – SCORE: Should I Start a Business? *
WEDNESDAY, August 29, 10:15 am, Community Hall – Early Learning Concert with Asheba
* Registration required.
FOLLOW THE LIBRARY!
Cupertino Library Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CupertinoLibrary
SCCLD Newsletter – https://www.sccl.org/About/Library-News/Newsletter
Serving the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County and the cities of Campbell | Cupertino | Gilroy | Los Altos | Los Altos Hills | Milpitas | Monte Sereno |
Morgan Hill | Saratoga
Aug 2018
Commission Report
Nancy Howe, County Librarian
SCCLD and First 5 Team up for School Readiness
Young children need to build early literacy skills so that they
will be kindergarten ready. The library offers the tools
families need including opportunities to talk, sing, read, write,
and play with your child to promote language and literacy
development. SCCLD is the perfect place to start the journey
to school readiness with great programs, free resources and
tips for families to help their little ones learn.
This month, in collaboration with First 5 and the Santa Clara County Office of Education, Potter
the Otter visits SCCLD libraries to talk about the NEW book- Potter the Otter Gets Ready for
Kindergarten. Hear this new story, receive a free copy of the book and have your picture taken
with Potter.
SCCLD STORYTIME VISITS WITH POTTER THE OTTER
Campbell Library
77 Harrison Ave., Campbell, CA 95008
(408) 866-1991
Tue 8/21 at 7pm
Cupertino Library
NONE
Gilroy Library
350 W. Sixth Street, Gilroy, CA 95020
(408) 842-8207
Tue 8/28 at 4pm Spanish Bilingual
Los Altos Library
13 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos, CA 94022
(650) 948-7683
Wed 8/29 at 11:00am
Serving the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County and the cities of Campbell | Cupertino | Gilroy | Los Altos | Los Altos Hills | Milpitas | Monte Sereno |
Morgan Hill | Saratoga
Milpitas Library
160 North Main Street, Milpitas, CA 95035
(408) 262-1171
Mon 8/27 at 11:00am Mandarin Bilingual
Morgan Hill Library
660 West Main Ave., Morgan Hill, CA 95037
(408) 779-3196
Thu 8/23 at 11:00am
Saratoga Library
13650 Saratoga Ave, Saratoga, CA 95070
(408) 867-6126
Thu 8/30 at 10:30am
Adobe Creative Classes Coming to SCCLD
Learn to use five major Adobe
products programs including
Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign,
Premiere Pro and Animate at a
series of free classes, to be held at
SCCLD libraries beginning in
September. Enhance and repair your
family photos with Photoshop. Take
drawings to new heights and learn to
create your own logo with Illustrator.
Use InDesign to create print projects
like stationary, printed books,
brochures and games. Learn how to create animated cartoons, advertisements and games
with Animate. Finally, enhance your videos with audio and graphics using effects, filters and
titles through Premiere Pro.
9/8 Milpitas Photoshop and Illustrator
9/15 Milpitas InDesign and Premiere Pro
9/22 Campbell Photoshop and Illustrator
9/29 Campbell Animate and Premiere Pro
10/6 Gilroy Photoshop and Illustrator
10/13 Gilroy InDesign and Premiere Pro
Serving the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County and the cities of Campbell | Cupertino | Gilroy | Los Altos | Los Altos Hills | Milpitas | Monte Sereno |
Morgan Hill | Saratoga
10/20 Morgan Hill* Photoshop and Illustrator
10/27 Saratoga Photoshop and Illustrator
11/3 Morgan Hill* Animate and Premiere Pro
11/10 Los Altos Photoshop and Illustrator
11/17 Los Altos Animate and Premiere Pro
12/1 Saratoga InDesign and Premiere Pro
12/8 Cupertino Photoshop and Illustrator
12/15 Cupertino InDesign and Premiere Pro
*Dates for Morgan Hill are tentative depending on construction.
For class times and to register please go to: www.sccl.org/events, Computers will be provided.
Pre-registration is required due to limited class size. Classes are free and open to the public.
SCCLD Introduces SimplyE
If you are looking for a better solution to manage your
eBooks from the library, SCCLD has a solution.
SimplyE simplifies the eBook catalog and download
experience. View, browse, check out, download, read
and return eBooks from our OverDrive and
CloudLibrary catalogs, and Spanish eBooks in Odilo
using the SimplyE app.
You can access SimplyE from our Mobile Apps page, as well as the eBooks & Audiobooks
pages in the Online Library 24/7, Teens’ Online Library, and Kids’ Online Library. Download
the app to your electronic device, select Santa Clara County Library District as your library,
and enter your library card and PIN. No extra account, and no further sign-ins; SimplyE will
remember your card! Browse, borrow, and reserve eBooks from our all-in-one catalog, as well
as public domain eBooks added by SimplyE. The public domain books have no waitlist or time
limit – you can keep those and read them as often as you like! Happy reading!
Library Trends:
On July 21, a contributing editor to Forbes wrote an article about why Amazon should replace
local libraries to save taxpayers money. The article met with a storm of angry responses on
social media. The discussion was all over the internet with a heated discussion why libraries
are a valued part of a community. Days later, Forbes retracted the story. Below is an article
from July 23 that ran on Fast Company.
Serving the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County and the cities of Campbell | Cupertino | Gilroy | Los Altos | Los Altos Hills | Milpitas | Monte Sereno |
Morgan Hill | Saratoga
Forbes suggested Amazon should replace libraries, and people
aren’t having it
BY MICHAEL GROTHAUS
FAST COMPANY
Update: Monday, July 23, 1:23 p.m.:
The Forbes article appears to have been deleted, as the link now leads to an error message.
Original post:
A Forbes contributor wrote a short piece titled “Amazon Should Replace Local Libraries to
Save Taxpayers Money,” arguing that libraries should be shuttered in return for Amazon
opening bookstores in local communities. At the gist of the writer’s argument is that Starbucks
has replaced libraries as a friendly place to go and read and streaming services like Amazon
Prime Video have replaced video rentals, which many local libraries had provided. And then:
“Of course, there’s Amazon Books to consider. Amazon have created their
own online library that has made it easy for the masses to access both
physical and digital copies of books. Amazon Books is a chain of bookstores
that does what Amazon originally intended to do; replace the local bookstore.
It improves on the bookstore model by adding online searches and coffee
shops. Amazon Go basically combines a library with a Starbucks.”
Taken together, why should taxpayers keep paying money to fund local libraries, the writer
argues:
“At the core, Amazon has provided something better than a local library
without the tax fees. This is why Amazon should replace local libraries. The
move would save taxpayers money and enhance the stockholder value of
Amazon all in one fell swoop.”
And then Twitter came to the rescue: (abbreviated version of the twitter feeds listed below)
Panos Mourdoukoutas@PMourdoukoutas
Serving the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County and the cities of Campbell | Cupertino | Gilroy | Los Altos | Los Altos Hills | Milpitas | Monte Sereno |
Morgan Hill | Saratoga
· 22 Jul
Let me clarify something. Local libraries aren't free. Home owners must pay a local library tax. My bill is
$495/year.
DamagedNotion@Damagednotion
Seniors pay 200 or more to have someone do taxes, but the library does it for free. Free
movies during the summer for kids. They make ice cream and crafts. During storms and
emergencies they function as shelters. It’s almost like my tax dollars bring safety and joy to
people.
5:32 PM - Jul 22, 2018
Ella Disenchanted@McTestaInc
We provide computer and software training. We assist in job searches and all of the resources
needed to do so. And in many rural communities, we are often the only source of internet
access. In urban areas as well sometimes. Plus thousands of other services we offer.
2:04 AM - Jul 23, 2018 · Lakewood, WA
Her Pegship@HerPegship
Libraries with trained staff are worth any tax required; even non-users profit from their
community's quality of life. What would an Amazon storefront provide? A place to buy or read
only books that are currently in print, free wifi & electricity. The end.
5:56 PM - Jul 22, 2018
Serving the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County and the cities of Campbell | Cupertino | Gilroy | Los Altos | Los Altos Hills | Milpitas | Monte Sereno |
Morgan Hill | Saratoga
Marziah@marziah
Let me clarify something. If the *only* thing my local library did was help a domestic violence
victim find information on the nearest shelter, I'd gladly pay double what you in taxes a year.
And yeah, libraries do that sort of thing.
7:21 PM - Jul 22, 2018
Katie@kejtia
Libraries are the last public spaces in society where there’s no pay to play. They are the
peoples’ universities. Equalizers.
Small business and nonprofits launch from there. And no one is required to bring money to
participate. Libraries make our communities stronger. Shoo.
7:34 PM - Jul 22, 2018
Karen McPherson @MLA_Karen
Libraries offer so much more than books. I haven't seen any resume workshops in book
stores, or kids story time, or meetings of local clubs. Libraries aren't driven by best seller lists,
they're driven by providing information to people, in many formats.
7:41 PM - Jul 22, 2018
Melissa Baker@bakerpartyofsix
Serving the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County and the cities of Campbell | Cupertino | Gilroy | Los Altos | Los Altos Hills | Milpitas | Monte Sereno |
Morgan Hill | Saratoga
I have 4 kids. We visit the library about once a month and each kid gets to pick out 5-6 books,
plus we check out audio books, not to mention what I read. At $10-$15 each, that’s over $3000
a year we save using the library. I’m ok with those taxes.
8:08 PM - Jul 22, 2018
pammoran@pammoran
Public libraries are this thing called the common good - we all share in paying for them so that
others with less means benefit. It’s what humanity does to advance civilization. Go support
your public library; shelve books, read to a child, help a senior citizen find a book.
2:11 AM - Jul 23, 2018