When the new mayor of Philadelphia, Michael Nutter, took office he inherited quite a budget crisis—currently tallied at $1 billion. And with the national economy being the disaster that it is, he couldn’t count on a boost in the local markets to give him the cash needed to improve our city. That’s not his fault and I understand that, really I do.
But it’s still sad to see that when the red pen came out to slash down the deficit, one of the first things to go was our libraries.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Mayor Nutter is closing 11 of the 54 branch libraries that comprise the Free Library of Philadelphia. Three other branches will have Sunday hours eliminated, and 220 city jobs will be cut with approximately one third of those layoffs coming from the library staff.
Now I know that the money has to come from somewhere. It’s just sad that when cities—or schools—need to find extra cash, they tend to do so by cutting library services. They wonder why the quality of public education in our country is declining compared to other counties, yet they openly show a blatant disregard for literacy. What do you think a school district would cut first: it’s football team or its library? I’m betting on that library. And that’s just sad.
In happier news….
The Amigas and School Scandals October Giveaway Extravaganza Grand Prize Winner has been selected!
Congratulations….Elaina! Thank you for embedding the Amigas and School Scandals flipbook on your MySpace page!
You have just won:
–A personalized signed copy of Amigas and School Scandals (the final version that’s in stores)
–An Advanced Reader Copy of Adios to All the Drama
–And two exclusive Amor and Summer Secrets bookmarks.
Email me with your mailing address and who you’d the books made out to. Congrats! And thank you to everyone who participated in my contest this month! I appreciate you all reading my blog and my books!
POP CULTURE RANT: Ghost Whisperer
OMG, Seriously? They killed off her husband. Seriously? I understand a show wanting to “mix things up” from season to season, but her husband? I don’t know if it can DVR it anymore. Because despite the ghostly vibe, this show is usually uplifting. It’s simple and sweet with just a little dash of creepy. Now, they’ve turned it into a dismal tearjerker. The relationship between Jim and Melinda was as vital to the show’s enjoyment factor as her ability to see ghosts. And I for one am not about to watch a show about a depressed nutjob who thinks she sees dead people and cries all the time. Thumbs down to the writers who I’m sure are out there jumping a shark somewhere.
