Requesting a Favor …
Hello again … it’s me. I know, I know, I never blog - and then when I do, I’m asking a favor of you. Sorry. Mea culpa.
And what’s worse - I have to talk about a subject that literally makes my head hurt and that I do not want to hear one more peep about! Seriously.
The BUDGET.
Nevertheless - as a library employee - and therefore as a city employee - this affects me (and ultimately, you) greatly. You see, the city has compiled a survey so that residents can rank services and give input as to what's important to them, and what's not so important. This will help the city folks as they figure out next year's budget (no, cutting everything is not an option – so you might as well fill out the survey so that the stuff you actually like gets funded (psssst … like the library) –okay?).
The city did a similar survey last year, but I don’t think that many people took the time to fill it out, which, as you know means that it wasn’t really representative of the majority of us. Hmmmm… (although, I filled the last one out too).
Now, I’ve read some really cranky posts lately about how some folks would rather live in a hole and pay absolutely nothing in the way of taxes. Yeah, I think I get that. I think we’re all tired of the conversation. But, as Sonny and Cher noted: the beat goes on.
So just take a minute and fill out the survey (please?). Be honest about the services you use and think are important to Janesville.
If you don’t fill it out, that’s fine, but then you cannot complain when the budget comes out and the one thing you really like is GONE … okay?
So - here’s a link to the city’s survey and more information about it.
Budget Score Card
Fill it out, get your friends and co-workers to fill it out. It will be available now through Sept. 5
Thanks!
p.s. I picked up a rather strange looking book today that I cannot wait to start reading:
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
This book looks truly odd (Google it) - I’ll let you know what I think when I’m done reading it. I love a good, odd book.
Happy Reading.
UPDATE:
So, I just took the survey … it’s a bit different than the last one. This one took about ten minutes (if you think a lot about the questions - there weren’t that many).
Here’s the first question:
Janesville residents are served by 104 sworn officers 24 hours a day. We have three shifts and typically have 10 officers on duty per shift.
Then you pick what level of service you think is important with the options of eliminating 0 officers for $0 reduction, all the way up to eliminating 4 officers for a cost savings of $224,800.
The survey continues and looks at quite a few city services and facilities and hours of operation. As you make your choices, the survey adds up the savings (or the enhancements to services) and gives you a total at the bottom.
Seems like a worthwhile survey to fill out.
Jamie Swenson is a children's author and an employee of Hedberg Public Library. She is a community blogger and is not a part of The Gazette staff. Her opinion is not necessarily that of the The Gazette staff or management.
Aug 23, 2011 at 6:52 p.m.
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I already filled mine out! I was able to hit way beyond the "0" and also added some suggestions as well!
Aug 23, 2011 at 3:24 p.m.
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I go to the library and everytime I checkout it never fails the person in front of me has a fine. "what fine" is the first question. Then it is an "oh yeah" then the excuses. Then they don't have to pay the whole fine just $1 or something. Some of these were from YEARS ago. HOw about you pay your WHOLE fine and then you may check out!! You get a checnk that way I bet.
I think one ladies total in fines was $10. They said you can pay $5 and still check out. How about you pay $10 that is owed. She wouldn't pay whole amount. I see this a lot in sales. People looking for these people for $20. They get a collection over $20- just pay the people you owe already. I guess I just don't like to owe people and don't understand how other people don't mind oweing people money and don't care if credit gets ruiened over $20. If you are going to ruin ot go for something big at least. Okay I guess they do but less hits if you just pay the little stuff and get that off of there.
Aug 23, 2011 at 1:05 p.m.
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Thanks!
They had it closed every time we went in! (I have a four-year-old so we would have LOVED to use it...but alas, it was always closed for us this summer. It's a GREAT idea for everyone to have access to that, though to encourage more circulation(10 items or more, stick 'em in the bin). By the time I'm done, I think I may as well have a circ computer and checked them all in myself by hand rather than use the conveyor...
Aug 23, 2011 at 12:05 p.m.
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Carrisford: I hear you ... and you raise some really excellent points ... and thanks for realizing that I did not personally pick out the check-in system! We do have a new head of circ (Michelle Dennis) who is working very hard to optimize customer service - for instance - during high traffic this summer she opened a new "speedy check in" (basically a slot in the wall like we used to have) - and that was very popular. I'll forward your comments to her. Thanks!
Aug 23, 2011 at 11:31 a.m.
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Okay, I did the survey and don't be mad at me when there is no reduction in our wonderful services like the JPD, JFD, or the HPL, BUT we do have a wheel tax - seems an easy choice to me looking at the numbers.
Aug 23, 2011 at 8:18 a.m.
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Our family counts on the library for many different items and I cringe at the thought of losing them. Thank you for posting this survey.
Aug 23, 2011 at 6:25 a.m.
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Oh, I do get the point is to reduce, but while reducing, why not, dunno, mow less often and give that money to the library to let it open later on Fridays and then there will STILL be some left over from mowing less. I'd personally like to see if some residents would/could volunteer or get a smaller stipend to help with lawn mowing and the like (maybe the city only does it once every 2 weeks and the volunteer brigade helps out in the interim, as needed) and I think a lot of people would pay SOMETHING (a quarter, a dollar) to use those wading pools). I wouldn't mind paying a fee for my ILL materials (maybe $1 per item?). It wouldn't cover the COST, but these areas would be at less of a loss if we all did something little, rather than get the choice of cutting back...or cutting back.
Aug 23, 2011 at 6:15 a.m.
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Personally, I'd rather adjust things with the library getting those three hours back on Fridays. It wasn't ever THAT busy, but it's like how stores are open later for the handful of people who come in...they can get THEIR work done when it's kind of quiet and be more ready than ever Saturday morning (and if you do need a book, it's open). I'd also get rid of that god-awful conveyor belt and get the old drops back. There are faster conveyers (Woodbury, MN has one) that do not have a "mandatory wait time" so if you MUST have one, why on EARTH did you pick that one? (I know you didn't, but the library in general). I thought the library's goal was to ENCOURAGE circulation, not DISCOURAGE it? I want to (and honestly do) check out FEWER books now that I have to wait FOREVER to slide them in slowly...one...at...a...time. I'm studying information marketing and one question we had there was, why do places (especially libraries)like to focus on their bottom "quintile" customers (ie. those who check out 1-2 books a year) and make it really easy, rather than focus on their best customers (those who check out many, many books and other resources) and drive them away? They likened it to the express lanes in stores...why waste space on those when you could be focusing on those who buy a LOT of groceries and working on getting THEM out faster and happier? Long story short, looking at this survey, it only gives me the choice to CUT...that's not what I vote. I want those hours back and that conveyor out and I'd like to find somewhere else to cut to get that money back. (And yes, others will disagree, but that's the point of a survey, no? This one does not reflect my opinions on hours, much less bigger picture issues).
Aug 22, 2011 at 10:07 p.m.
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Dang. I was hoping to tell someone Woosh! http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.ph...
Aug 22, 2011 at 8:24 p.m.
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So happy to be of service thanks for the link as I was not aware of any survey.
Aug 22, 2011 at 7:34 p.m.
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crunch munch: How dare you use a word like that! Children might read this. I'm hitting the suggest removal button!
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