Daily Thoughts 11/29/2010 (Advocacy, Reduction In Force)

A logo of the United States Library of Congress following with the theme of using the outline of the Thomas Jefferson Building as an identifier.

Daily Thoughts 11/29/2010


I got a request from NYLA -- the New York Library Association to fill out a form letter to support bills that could support libraries.  I often send letters to the local politicians and the politicians around the area where my job is.  Unfortunately, libraries have become an easy target for cuts and legislation.  It is partially due to self preservation and partially due to wanting to keep my profession alive that I am active in contacting local politicians. http://www.nyla.org/index.php?page_id=925http://www.nyla.org/index.php?page_id=925

During voting time, I got eight reminders from door to door canvassers reminding me to vote as well as a dozen phone calls and tons of junk mail.  It was kind of annoying.  I think it is the result of writing about two form letters a month to politicians. Most people do little or nothing.  It does not take a lot of time to write one letter a month or simply fill out a form for a cause and add your information.

Today, I got the notice of demotion as part of a reduction in force.  The two librarian IIIs above me were reduced to Librarian IIs, all of the Librarian IIs were reduced to Librarian 1s.  Two librarians were laid off.  There was also a senior clerk that was reduced to a clerk, and a clerk who was laid off.  That means three people were laid off.  Earlier three people had taken retirement.  I have a letter which describes this as being purely budgetary.  It is supposed to go into effect on December 1st in two days.  Today is November 29, 2010.  This has effected about a third of our building.  The last attempt at layoffs and demotions affected half of our building.  It was on July 11, 2010.   Each library in our county has a separate budget.  If I read the articles about our budget with the differences between the comptroller and the mayor, there could be a several million dollar budget gap in about six months.

 I finished reading Writing That Works on the train to the job.  I had the day off, but went in to get my paperwork. Sometimes, patience is what is needed.