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Please call your county supervisor, because the Fresno County Library is discarding thousands of books due to budget cut. and please read the following:  

At the direction of the Fresno County Library administrator, it is estimated that 40,000 volumes have been disposed of from the library into the landfill and to 10-cent library sales shelves. This is a terrible waste and contrary to public trust and established county procedures.

Any library book has a value of more than ten cents. But it is the very valuable books that have gone into the dumpster that concerns us, as it is very possible some were first editions, which could sell for hundreds of dollars.   Numerous people have reported that they have seen dumpsters leaving the library loaded with books. Destroying valuable books is squandering public revenue. If the library has no need for these books they are assets that can be sold.   It is estimated that the county librarian has discarded over 33,000 serviceable volumes from the County Library’s Secondary Collection, falsely claiming that they were dilapidated, marred or obsolete.

This collection was assembled over the past 100 years. The new librarian was directed to reorganize the library and reduce the budget. Destroying valuable public property does not balance the budget. Of concern is that they are "weeding" good books, with enduring reference value that should STAY in the collection.   The California and Genealogy Room is also of concern because it has been judged as the major source of such history and genealogy material between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Under no circumstances should it be reorganized or dismantled.  

The County Librarian, Laurel Prysiazny will be presenting her reorganization plan for the library before the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, March 15, 2011, sometime after 9 am. Please check the Fresno County Board of Supervisors website for the Agenda or call the Board of Supervisors at 559-600-3520 to verify that date and time.

Please come to the Board meeting and bring as many people with you as possible.   A library is a major community cultural trust to be protected by the Board of Supervisors. Books belong to the public; we urge you to contact the County Board of Supervisors and attend Tuesday’s meeting if the Fresno County Library is of concern to you.

Written by Rama Dawar