<div dir="ltr">MaryKay thanks for starting a discussion.<div><br></div><div>360 volunteers - wow! Even if no one is putting up any cash, that shows an outstanding commitment to library service by the community. </div><div>
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</div><div>I worry of course that celebrating volunteer-run public libraries gives legitimacy to the idea that we don't need to pay for them at all. But we can't ignore the fact that volunteer libraries exist. If we want people to fund libraries because publicly-funded libraries are better (for whatever reason), the burden is on us to prove it.</div>
<div><br></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all"><div>Caleb Tucker-Raymond<br><br>Statewide Reference Service Coordinator<br>Multnomah County Library<br>(503) 988-5438<br><a href="mailto:calebt@multco.us" target="_blank">calebt@multco.us</a><br>
<a href="http://www.answerland.org" target="_blank">www.answerland.org</a></div>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Apr 1, 2014 at 11:44 AM, MaryKay Dahlgreen <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:marykay.dahlgreen@state.or.us" target="_blank">marykay.dahlgreen@state.or.us</a>></span> wrote:<br>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">Dear Colleagues,<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">As I expected, there have been concerns expressed to me about celebrating this volunteer library.
<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">My perspective on this is that the citizens of Josephine County didn’t want to wait a great length of time without library service, especially for their children. They are very up front about the fact that their
current situation is unsustainable and are even now collecting signatures to put a library district on the ballot in November 2014. I like to think of the creation of the non-profit Josephine Community Libraries, Inc. as an emergency response and they have
been building towards sustainability ever since. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">I would also guess that the none of the public libraries in Oregon would be able to function at their current level without volunteers, I know that OSL couldn’t.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">And finally, the political and financial situation in Josephine County is quite different than in other areas of Oregon, particularly the Willamette Valley.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">I think this is an important topic of discussion and would welcome other comments.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">MaryKay<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> Libs-Or [mailto:<a href="mailto:libs-or-bounces@listsmart.osl.state.or.us" target="_blank">libs-or-bounces@listsmart.osl.state.or.us</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>MaryKay Dahlgreen<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, March 31, 2014 3:47 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> (<a href="mailto:libs-or@listsmart.osl.state.or.us" target="_blank">libs-or@listsmart.osl.state.or.us</a>)<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Libs-Or] Congratulations! Governor's Volunteer Award Winner, Josephine Community Libraries<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Not-for-Profit Volunteer Program: </span></strong><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Josephine Community Libraries of Grants Pass</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif""><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:24.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">W</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">ithout the volunteers at Josephine Community Libraries, 83,000 Oregonians wouldn’t have access to
a public library. Josephine Community Libraries formed in fall 2007, after the county closed its libraries due to funding cuts and the failure of a ballot initiative for a library district. The nonprofit today operates all the county’s libraries, with volunteers
filling core roles: cataloging and shelving books, providing information to library users, hosting children’s story times, checking books in and out, marketing, communications, fundraising, outreach, facilities maintenance and more. The system has 360 dedicated
volunteers. About 2,500 patrons check out items from the libraries each month, and 1,700 patrons use the public Internet computers. The system also has special programs for children: First Steps for toddlers, K-9 Reading Buddies for young readers, story times
and the Summer Reading Program. It also has the Expanding Opportunities Program, which provides deeper access to library resources and community partners, helping people improve their prospects in education, employment and entrepreneurship.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For more information on the Governor’s Volunteer Awards: <a href="http://www.oregonvolunteers.org/" target="_blank">
http://www.oregonvolunteers.org/</a> <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">MaryKay Dahlgreen<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Oregon State Librarian<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a href="tel:503-378-4367" value="+15033784367" target="_blank">503-378-4367</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a href="mailto:marykay.dahlgreen@state.or.us" target="_blank">marykay.dahlgreen@state.or.us</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a href="http://oregon.gov/osl" target="_blank">http://oregon.gov/osl</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><img border="0" width="169" height="81" src="cid:image001.jpg@01CF4D9F.7DE2FB40" alt="library logo.jpg"><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
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