Are you ready to write, Michigan?

Kent District Library is partnering with Schuler Books & Music and the Grand Rapids Public Library to host the Write Michigan short story contest beginning September 4. The contest is aimed at showcasing budding writing talent across the state. We’re so excited to offer people this opportunity to share their work with Michigan and the world.

The popularity of television shows such as “American Idol,” which combine expert opinion with viewer voting, got us thinking about how this concept could be applied to a library contest. We also thought about West Michigan’s very own ArtPrize contest, which has sparked unprecedented public enthusiasm for visual art. Could the same be done in the literary arts? It’s time to find out.

While I encourage you to read the full contest details at writemichigan.org, here’s a quick overview: writers of all ages are invited to submit an original, unpublished short story on any topic. A group of judges will determine a number of finalists in two categories: youth (age 17 and younger) and adult (age 18 and older). Then the public voting begins.

The stories with the most votes at the end will win cash prizes. But that’s not all: the stories from the top 10 to 12 finalists will be published by Schuler’s Chapbook Press. Additionally, the contest includes short story writing workshops and an awards ceremony.

To aid in your wordsmithery, KDL is offering a short story writing workshop with Ludington-area author George Dila from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM on Saturday, September 15 at the East Grand Rapids branch. Come ready to write!

Libraries and bookstores love to get people excited about literature. Write Michigan is our way of taking that goal to the next level with the hope that one day soon it will be your stories flying off our shelves. So, get writing… and get discovered!

Maybe you’ve heard about KDL’s new quality standards achievement project. I want to tell you what this “multi-year effort to document performance strengths and gaps against national indicators of excellence” means to you.

First, it means simply that we want to always be doing better. Our patrons and the library industry have told us we do a great job, and now we’re asking a third-party organization, the Michigan Quality Council – a 19-year-old organization that helps businesses and organizations improve their products and services – to weigh in.

KDL is the first public library in Michigan to engage their review process. Why? Ultimately, the process will address whether we’re giving you, the taxpayer, the most for your dollars.

The effort will help us answer questions such as, are the materials we’re buying and circulating truly what our patrons want? Which of our programs reach the greatest audiences and do they align with our strategic plan – for instance, to promote early childhood literacy? Are we buying enough eBooks to meet the growing demand?

It will also measure whether we are doing all we can to build and maintain an effective team, and that we’re training our employees in the areas they need to best be able to serve the public. One recent example was the training of our branch staff to help patrons use and troubleshoot eReader devices. That’s a value-added effort to put us ahead of the technology curve, something libraries have done so well for so long.

KDL is not the same organization we were 10 years ago, and we won’t be the same organization 10 years from now that we are today. In a nutshell, this voluntary effort will let us know whether we’re truly, measurably, meeting our goals.

These are questions we have always asked, but the MQC effort is a concentrated way to ensure we’re always asking the right questions. Having an outside group measure that is a way for us – and you – to really, truly know.

More than 70 libraries in the U.S. and Canada have joined to make a public statement on behalf of a better user experience with eBooks. What follows is an excerpt of that statement, which KDL supports. If you would like to send a quick note to major publishers to express your opinion, see below for their contact information.

“Libraries have a responsibility to fight for the public and ensure that users have the same open, easy and free access to e-books that they have come to rely on with physical books.  

They face two major challenges. The first is that, unlike print books, publishers are not required to sell e-books to libraries — and many do not. The second, addressed here, is that the products currently offered by e-content distributors, the middlemen from whom libraries buy e-books, create a fragmented, disjointed and cumbersome user experience. 

To correct this, e-content providers must be willing partners and offer products that allow users to:

• Search and browse a single comprehensive catalog with all of a library’s offerings at once, including all e-books, physical collections, programs, blogs and donor opportunities.
• Download e-books that are compatible with all readers, from the Kindle to the Nook to the iPad and so on.

In order for libraries to continue to function as key providers of information to the public, these basic principles must be followed. The libraries who signed this agreement are committed to holding content providers to this standard, and will prioritize these requirements when acquiring e-books and other e-content.”

If you wish to write to or call a publisher to convey your opinion, here is their contact information:

Penguin Group
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
(212) 366-2000
ecommerce@us.penguingroup.com

Macmillan Publishing
75 Varick Street
New York, NY 10013
(212) 226-7521
customerservice@mpsvirginia.com

Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
(212) 698-7000
http://simonandschuster.com/about/contact_us

Hachette Book Group
466 Lexington Avenue #131
New York, NY 10017
(212) 364-1100
customer.service@hbgusa.com

Brilliance Audio
1704 Eaton Drive
Grand Haven, MI 49417
(616) 846-5256
libsales@brillianceaudio.com

Libraries and other organizations such as schools, police and fire departments that provide essential tax-supported services have been working with state lawmakers for nearly a year to brainstorm ways to replace the business equipment personal property tax (PPT) if it is eliminated. 

Replacement is critical because without it, the services Kent County residents rely on will be at the very least irreparably damaged, and in some cases may cease entirely. Kent District Library applauded senators who recognized the value and necessity of our services, and were heartened that a “poison pill” replacement provision was included in a Senate measure that passed on May 10. While this solution is far from perfect, it is better than nothing. The provision provides that if a future legislature fails to restore revenue lost by elimination of the PPT, the PPT will be restored.

But wait. Now there are rumblings that the State House of Representatives may remove the provision, which if true, would damage KDL’s voter-approved tax funding and the services we offer to more than a quarter-million people throughout Kent County. It would also mean the year of negotiations between the Senate and governmental tax-funded essential services was utterly meaningless.

We agree the PPT is not a wise tax; why penalize businesses for trying to grow? But the services it funds – municipalities, schools and, of course, libraries – are anything but unwise. These are the entities voters have said again and again are worthy of their tax dollars. These are services that keep property values steady and growing – and thus communities vibrant – and convince businesses and people to move in and to stay.

I can say with absolute confidence that Michigan’s libraries do not take advantage of voters’ generosity. Libraries in this state saw state aid decrease in 2011 to levels not seen since 1978 – that’s the level of de-funding you think of when organizations say they’ve cut expenses to the bone.   

Despite cuts, we’re offering programs and materials that are keeping libraries more vital than ever to people’s lives. KDL cardholders number at nearly a quarter million – and that’s just our library system. In April, more than 1,000 new people signed up for library cards and in February, more than 3,000. Our early childhood literacy programs have become musts for Kent County parents and educators. Our computer and job skills course offerings are often filled to capacity, which is notable in that Gov. Snyder was quoted in a news article last year as recommending people depend more on resources at public libraries for their job searches.

At KDL, the PPT accounts for nearly 9.1 percent of our operating budget. If it is not replaced, the cuts will go inside the bone. What will happen is libraries will be forced – against our and voters’ wishes – to take the services they bargained for away from them. Another possible repercussion could be a tax increase on homeowners to pay for the services residents have come to expect.

Your state’s public libraries are not asking for more money; we’re asking that we be able to continue to provide the services we agreed to provide, with the funding voters approved.

Lawmakers, please follow through on the good-faith promises you have made regarding replacement of the PPT. Library supporters, please tell your legislators your thoughts about losing services you voted for.

Thank you for your support,

Lance Werner, director
Kent District Library

The proposal in Michigan’s Legislature to eliminate the personal property tax on businesses without a clear replacement strategy has those who provide services deemed essential by voters feeling as though we’re walking a tightrope. We’re promised a safety net by our legislators, but we can’t see one.
 
All libraries in Michigan are at risk. At Kent District Library, the PPT accounts for nearly 8 percent (over $1.1 million) of our operating budget. We have already cut expenses to the bone after several years of declining tax revenue.
 
If the PPT is not replaced, KDL will need to make significant operational cuts such as staff layoffs, cuts to the materials budget, fewer open hours and elimination of early literacy workshops and classes for job seekers (see an easy-to-read slide presentation here). These reductions come at a time when use of the library is booming — the number of items checked out from our libraries has increased by 50 percent over the last six years. More people – 3.3 million – visit KDL than any other library in Michigan except Detroit Public Library.
 
While I agree that the PPT is not necessarily a wise tax, the services it funds — municipalities, schools and, of course, libraries — are wise. They’re vital. These are the entities voters have regularly said are worthy of their tax dollars. These are services that keep property values steady and growing, and create vibrant communities that attract new businesses and residents.
 
Michigan’s public libraries are not asking for more money; we’re simply asking that we be allowed to continue to provide quality library services that meet the needs of our residents.  Please take a moment and tell your legislators you want a PPT replacement plan, and that you want libraries included.

Thank you for your continued support!

Lance Werner,
KDL Director

It’s a great time to show your library some love.

A recent national media article has chronicled the devastating effects of budget cuts to U.S. public libraries, noting that many are currently threatened with staff cuts, reduced hours and even branch closings. It seems incomprehensible, but libraries are not immune to the cutbacks facing so many other vital services and institutions in our communities.

At KDL, most of our budget (87 percent) comes directly from taxpayers like you, through your property taxes. When property values decline, so does our funding. Additional cuts anticipated at the state level next year could amount to an added loss of $1.1 million in revenue for KDL. These cuts come as patrons are using KDL’s services even more due to the tough economy. If Governor Snyder’s plan to eliminate personal property taxes for businesses is approved without some form of replacement funds for libraries, cuts that are happening at other public libraries will happen here too.

We have worked hard to keep past cuts from impacting those services most valued by our patrons. Still, you have likely noticed fewer copies of books on the shelves, a decreased number of library employees at your local branch, or perhaps we no longer offer a program you have come to enjoy. While we remain dedicated to providing you with the very best service possible no matter the financial circumstances, we could use your help to preserve the library services you love.

I’ve listed below a few simple things you can do to support the library:

• Donate to the KDL Fund. No gift is too small!
• Write your legislator. Your message can be as simple as: “I love my library. Replace, don’t erase, the personal property tax.”
• Be an advocate. Tell your friends and family about KDL, the great services we provide and what the library means to you.
• Continue to use the library. Whether you come through our doors or use services on our website, the more you use KDL, the more you prove that libraries remain an invaluable community resource.

As director of KDL, I plan to loudly voice my intention to preserve public libraries for our generation and for many more to come. Please join me.

Yours,

Lance Werner

We did it again!

I am pleased to announce that Kent District Library has once again been recognized as a Star Library in the Library Journal Index of Public Library Service 2011.  More than 7,000 libraries were evaluated, but only 262 received a starred rating.  KDL was one of only three Michigan libraries to make the list (Ann Arbor District Library and Benzie Shores District Library were the others).

We are thrilled that Kent District Library has received this accolade and appreciate the support that our patrons and communities have shown over the years. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating this wonderful achievement.   

Thank you for helping make KDL a Star Library!

Yours,

 Lance Werner

Congratulations! A comparison of Kent District Library usage data with figures recently reported in Public Libraries magazine (Sept./Oct. 2011) reveals that KDL is outpacing the national average for communities our size. For example, our library visits per capita, circulation per capita and collection turnover (how often an item is checked out in a given year), were nearly two times higher than the national average.

What does this mean to you? It’s proof positive that you love KDL and the wonderful materials and services you find in our libraries. While we don’t need numbers to tell us this, these figures help prove that KDL has some of the most avid library users in the country!

Thank you for using your public library and making KDL way above average.

Sincerely,

Lance Werner, Director
Kent District Library

You depend on your local community government for police and fire protection, safe drinking water, plowed roads in the winter, and other essential services. Access to information is an essential service provided to you by Kent District Library. In today’s knowledge-based economy, loss of this service will cripple our communities.

Some Michigan legislators are proposing elimination of an important source of funding through repeal of the Michigan Personal Property Tax (PPT) — a tax generally paid by businesses and corporations, not by individual taxpayers or homeowners.

Eliminating the PPT without a full and “stable” replacement would slash revenues for local governments, including cities, libraries, and schools, by another $1.2 billion. By stable source of funding, I mean funds that are guaranteed for essential local government services and protected now and in the future. 

Losing the PPT would be devastating for Kent District Library. It would mean a loss of $1.1 million in 2012, or approximately 7% of our total operating budget. Our branches are busier than ever with 6.4 million checkouts in 2010, up 11% over the  two previous years. People are turning to the library for community programming, information, entertainment, and job hunting/résumé writing resources.  Loss of the PPT would significantly impact KDL’s ability to deliver service at the level our community has come to expect.  Without these funds the Library will undertake layoffs, massive reductions in operating hours, and deep cuts to the collection budget.

If the PPT is eliminated, it must be fully replaced. Please join me in urging your state Senator and Representative to guarantee a full replacement of the personal property tax if they vote to repeal it.

Sincerely,

Lance Werner, Director
Kent District Library

Lance Werner has served as the Director of the Kent District Library since 2011. He can be reached via email at lwerner@kdl.org, or by phone at 616-784-2091.

Now that I’ve been on the job for almost six months, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you a little about myself and my vision for Kent District Library in the coming years. 

I am honored to have been invited to serve the Kent District Library as its Director, and I am eager to become a part of this dynamic organization. The Kent District Library is recognized as one of the best public libraries in the nation and is warmly embraced by the community it serves.

I come to Kent District Library with a full appreciation of what has made the Library so successful: a dedicated and capable staff eager to serve patrons of all ages and from all backgrounds, devoted Friends of the Library groups and volunteers, a forward-looking Board of Trustees dedicated to quality library service; and all of you, the residents of the Kent County who have loyally supported the Library over the years.

People have called me “The Loud Librarian,” not because I speak loudly (although my voice does carry!), but because I believe that libraries today cannot sit quietly and expect that people will understand the value that the library brings to the community.  Libraries fuel amazing experiences that influence individuals and their communities. KDL branches are the heart of the community and at the heart of life-long learning and self-improvement.  Libraries are full of stories and stories have power.

Now, I invite you to speak up as well!  Tell us how the Kent District Library has influenced you; share your memories; communicate its importance to you, your family and our community.  Tell us your story.

Sincerely,

Lance Werner, Director
Kent District Library

Lance Werner has served as the Director of the Kent District Library since 2011. He can be reached via email at lwerner@kdl.org, or by phone at 616-784-2091.