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Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Ind. Courts - "Arguments today in Central Library appeal"

As noted in this ILB entry Monday, today at 9:00 AM the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the Central Library appeal. The Indianapolis Star gave a preview in this morning's paper.

In another Star story today, Will Higgins reports under the heading "Library to get more computers." Some quotes:

The banks of public access computers at Indianapolis-Marion County Central Library and the system's 22 branches -- and at libraries across the country -- are increasingly packed with people searching online employment Web sites, polishing their online resumes and filing their unemployment insurance claims.

The Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library, where lines are commonplace, has bought 81 new computers and hopes to have them installed by November. The library then will have 619 computers available for patrons to use.

"Well, that's good because this place is a lot busier than when I started coming a year ago," said Vanessa Simpson, 49, an out-of-work nursing assistant who waited about 20 minutes for one of the 35 computers in Central Library's computer lab to become available.

Others have waited longer -- a half-hour, 45 minutes. (Because of demand, patrons are limited to one-hour computer sessions at Central Library and half-hour sessions at the branches.) * * *

Just as people turn increasingly to public libraries for services, libraries across the country are facing funding declines, the report found.

Indianapolis library officials obtained the $187,000 for its 81 new computers by appealing to the City-County Council for funds it was shorted in 2005 and 2006.

But IMCPL's operations funding, which comes primarily through property taxes, is $650,000 lower than a year ago. And next year, according Rebecca Dixon, the library's chief financial officer, the shortfall will approach $3 million.

"These funding declines have the potential to seriously handicap the advances in public computing that libraries have made over the last five years," the report concluded.

The Central Library is very busy, I go there several times a week. Fontunately I am there for other reasons and don't have to wait to use a computer, but people are waiting not only to file their unemployment insurance claims, but to make FSSI-related applications. Ironically, as the state level of government has automated its programs, making them "computer accessible," the recipients, who frequently do not have computers, or do not understand how to make this or that application, must turn to their local library for help.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on September 15, 2009 10:55 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts