I’m sure that everyone reading this blog has been affected in some way by the hobbled global economy.
Whether it’s a friend or family member who’s lost a job, benefit cutbacks due to employers’ economizing, or a difficult time selling a house—it’s likely hit home.
I’ve read about the different issues people have faced and shaken my head at the craziness.
Then our county started messing with the libraries.
Last week, out of the blue they decided to close 12 out of the 24 local libraries in our county.
Really? Really, now. There’s no waste anywhere else? No county commission lunches on the taxpayer dime? No little bits of foolishness that could be cut back? It’s come down to libraries?!
My own Matthews branch is one of the lucky 12 that will be left open..for now. But they’re talking about closing all the libraries this summer. And they were sneaky about this—I’d have spoken at the board meeting. I’d have taken on an email or letter writing campaign. It just boggles my mind. And Charlotte is a successful city.
I can easily drive to an open branch. In fact, I live close to the county line and can drive over to another county in ten minutes. But—how many people can do such a thing? How many kids won’t have books to read over the summer? How many adults who don’t have computers won’t be able to look for jobs at the library?
So I’ve now donated money to the library system and am on their email list of folks to call if they discover things might get worse. Usually I’m just wandering around in my own happy little creative haze…now I’ve been mobilized! This particular economic hardship has come up and bitten me in the rear.
It should be that way with our characters, too. They’ve had something major happen to them—if they haven’t,then where’s the conflict? How do they react to it—are they passive? Does the conflict happen to them? Are they victimized? Or are they empowered? Do they become stronger characters and find ways to fight back when the conflict hits home?
I have a guest at the Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen today–fellow Midnight Ink writer Beth Groundwater will give us a delicious mixed drink recipe…and tell us how to put together a gift basket for a mystery loving friend.
Elizabeth – I am incensed for you! Libraries?!?! What are they thinking?!? (Excuse me while I splutter). Good for you to do what you can to help. I hope they come to their senses.
Now…to your other question. I agree that without some “spark,” so to speak, our characters may not be mobilized to action. That’s why I like plots (and try to write plots) that get those characters movtivated. Thanks for the reminder to pay attention to that.
During times where money is sparse in the family, libraries are a source of good entertainment. What are they thinking?
I think the best characters have the worst problems happening in his or her life. Then the characters feel real.
I see the loss of libraries as a sign of the decline and fall of a civilization. (hope that wasn’t too melodramatic, but it’s what I think) The people who really need books and escapism are those too poor to drive farther away or have an internet connection. It’s terrible. As you say, there must be a few other things they could get rid of first–like politicians.
I like characters who fight against what’s happening to them in whatever way they can. Maybe because I’m the same. I even wrote to the city council when they cut down some willow trees in the park. My husband says I’m practicing to be an interfereing old woman:)
I would guess that with times being tighter for a lot of people, the library has seen an increase in most of its activities. I know the library in my hometown has. The summer is always a busy time for them with Summer Reading Programs and various other activities. Cutting libraries hurts all age groups. Libraries should be one of the last things that is trimmed back.
Characters need to be concerned and involved in activities in the story, otherwise they are quite dull.
Closing libraries is just wrong. I’ve taught so many kids who use the library as a refuge – a safe place they can go with no money. Some of these kids don’t even take books out because they know someone at home will ruin them or sell them. Instead they spend hours in there safely and learning magic. To close so many is irresponsible.
Hi Elizabeth — How coincidental, you writing about the closure of library branches. I had a piece In Salon last week about libraries:
http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2010/03/16/martha_nichols_public_libraries
I may be doing more writing about this, in a longer feature, so I hope I could chat with you more about your experience. Thanks!
Libraries, like community colleges, are a resource we really need in tough times. People need to be able to educate themselves and retrain to build a new economy.
And even though that’s what everyone from the Prez of the U.S. to the Governor to the Prez of our college is saying, and even though our enrollment is leaping by huge bounds, they’re _still_ talking about layoffs and canceling classes for budget reasons.
And yes, the real problems of our world are fodder for our stories, and we should also consider that our stories are for people going through problems – so whether we exaggerate the problems as an escape, or reflect them realistically as personal expression, the problems are always the key to touching our audience.
I fear for the future of my beloved libraries. With the onslaught of ebooks, I can see the library of the future being a room full of computers, that’s about it. Books – REAL books, will become antiques, relics, displayed in museums … if we can afford to keep the museums open, hmm?
Sheesh – I’m sounding rather cynical this morning – sorry.
Marvin D Wilson
That really sucks about your libraries! Half? That’s a lot.
Closing libraries = a sin, a crime, a crying shame. I know the economy is tough everywhere these days, but shaving funds off knowledge, off the future is not the way to deal with a fiscal challenge.
We were “lucky” in Orlando that libraries stayed open, although their budgets were cut. However, donating books didn’t help, because they don’t put them into their collections, they sell them on their ‘dollar table’. Takes a good number of those sales to let them buy one new book.
If you don’t take things away from your characters, they’re going to be flat. I remember an early crit partner who said, “Oh, don’t let anything else bad happen to Sarah.” But without the ‘bad stuff’, there’s really no story.
I know that I’m a ‘pinko shit-disturber’ from the frozen north but I could just spit nails at the thought of closing libraries. Not to sound too paranoid but when libraries are closed it is a political act – it is telling people that they don’t need access to information and that the government can handle that for them thank you very much. Here in Canada when the economy started to go north they tried to close CAP sites (computer access programs) which are mainly located at libraries. They said it was because of money – but these are the few places that the poor, the disenfranchised, the youth, can access information. It is a highly political act to close libraries and to use money as the reason is scurilous. ORGANIZE!
You go, girl. You may just mobilize the population to revolt and change things. Maybe you could get the city council to close their fancy meeting place and start meeting in a library’s meeting rooms. Save money and they’d have to be a whole lot quieter in their deliberations.
Helen
Straight From Hel
Closing libraries is like giving up. In Denmark we hear so much about our pupils not reading well enough every year, and at the same time the counties cut down on the number of teachers and small libraries.
So what Lorel says is so right! I could not have afforded to read one tenth of the book I read in my childhood if I had not been able to borrow them for free.
Ooo. That makes me mad, too. It’s like cutting off communication to the enemy. It takes something personal to light that fire under us, and under our characters!
We had library cuts and closures happen in our area a few years ago. At least it was voted on by the public. The next time the library mileage came up on the ballot, the people voted money back to the libraries. Good luck dealing with this in your community!
My fiction books are all obout overcoming, so my characters are hit with stuff all the time. A couple times it is major, but often it is a string of minor problems.
And that is terrible!
Did you hear that NC will be sending out tax refunds much later than normal? Possibly September?! It’s a Ponzi scheme – they need to get in all the money from those who owe in order to pay those due a refund. I think NC on the whole is hurting a lot worse than we realize, and all because our officials couldn’t budget and balance the money.
Margot–I hope so too. There are rallies now, etc, and donation boxes for the libraries…I hope we’re not too late to save the remaining 12.
Teresa–I just hate that they think they’re of such low priority. Y’all just keep an eye on your libraries…who knows which county might chose a similar remedy next!
Lorel–I think I’m an interfering old woman in training, too! I’m definitely a letter-writer–I love that you wrote them about the trees!
And you’re so right–if they cut back on a few of those blowhard politicians then maybe we’ll have some more cash for the important things.
Mason–It’s definitely seen a huge increase in patrons…looking for jobs, books, etc. Kids doing reports (especially kids who don’t have computers at home.) And the summer reading program! Children will be going back to school after a summer of no reading and their skills will really have taken a drop.
Marvin–I’m feeling the same way.
Alex–Isn’t it awful? I never thought I’d see the day.
Jill–There have GOT to be other things to cut. I’m rolling my eyes right now over a ballpark they’re talking about uptown. I mean, come ON…
Jemi–I’ve thought the same thing. When I go to the library, I see other people I recognize as regulars…and they’re definitely not writers. They’re there for a safe, quiet place to go. Many of them are teenagers. It’s just such a shame.
Jan–It’s true–why did they pick on this PARTICULAR area to cut back on? To me, only fire and police protection rate more important. I’ll drive around those awful potholes….just don’t close the libraries.
Helen–Ohhh, you’re so right. That would be so FUNNY if they had to meet in the library. They can’t get along at ALL, so they’d probably get kicked out for yelling. :)
Martha–Thanks so much for pointing me to your article! I’ll check it out. And…absolutely–feel free to shoot me an email about it.
The Daring Novelist–They’re more important now than ever!
I’ve heard exactly what you’re talking about, regarding colleges. Enrollment is up but you need to make layoffs?! It makes no sense.
Mary–I’m one of the disaffiliated Generation Xers…I usually get irritated but just shake my head over it. But they knew what button to press with this one…
Terry–If we don’t torture the characters a little, then there’s no story!
Diane–No I *hadn’t* heard that, but our refund was late last year, so I’m not surprised. I think you’re right–it’s just like a Ponzi scheme! :)
Dorte–It’s *exactly* like giving up. The problem is that these people AREN’T creative. Who closes libraries as the FIRST resort? If you HAVE to cut back on library services, why not try closing it on weekends first? Or close branches an extra day out of the week? Or REALLY look at the budget for a change?
Janel–I’m sure everyone really missed them! I hope our commissioners get a clue…sigh. I think I’m working myself into an ulcer…