#geekthelibrary

[austinpubliclibrary]

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Staff from the Austin Public Library recently joined KOOP Radio’s Shades of Green podcast to talk about our month-long Talk Green to Me series featuring programs about sustainable living. 

This Wednesday, we’re holding an Earth Day Celebration at the Carver Branch. Attractions for all ages include edible insects, live music, a live honey bee colony, a DIY clothing swap, and more. Join us!

[dr-archeville]

Americans are using their public library more than ever before, but in many cases, overall funding is down. And some libraries have been forced to cut hours, programs and staff, and even close their doors. You can help. Familiarize yourself with some common myths.

[manateebrarian]

Snooty's contribution to the Library's campaign Geek the Library

[officialandymcnally]

Geek your Library

Remember in elementary school when going to the library once a week and getting to pick out one or two books was a big deal? Remember when you got your library card and you got to write your name on the back of it and walked into the library every week for, like, a month with your head held high and your little kid swagger because you had your own library card?

Back then, our libraries were championing reading. Now, we have to champion the library itself. Libraries are cutting hours, staff, and materials due to lack of funding and support. Many are closing their doors altogether. In a time when library services are most needed, politicians are turning their backs on the resources that many communities rely on to stay afloat. 

Did you know that it would cost about $150 to purchase the average 7 items that a person checks out for their library every year? A family of four can save over $600, and heat their home for four months in the winter. 7 seems like so little compared to the amount of materials the families in my community check out. Most could probably run their heater all year if they wanted to with the kind of money they save. 

Did you know that over 60 percent of U.S. libraries say that helping patrons search for jobs and create resumes is one of the most critical roles that they play? In this impossible economy and job market, people are increasingly turning to their libraries and the internet services that are offered. A lot of families have had to forgo their internet in order to make ends meet. Libraries are their only chance for gaining information about jobs and contacting potential employers. 

Libraries give back to the economy and job market. They are invaluable resources to their communities and they create a family out of their patrons. Funding is suffering, and we can't sit back and watch while our libraries shut down for good. Just because your library has a lot of books and a beautiful building to house them in doesn't mean it's fully funded. Computers and a large staff mean nothing when there is no money for keep-up. 

GeektheLibrary.org is raising awareness of the injustice that is being dealt to our public libraries. Whatever you are passionate about, whatever you "geek", can be found at your public library. I geek writing, and swimming, and publishing, and, yes, I geek libraries.

Please visit www.geekthelibrary.org to share what you geek and spread the word. In the upcoming elections, if you have the chance to vote for or against a levy for your library, please vote for it. Don't let the politicians look the other way and don't let your library become a shuttered building.