The Case for Consolidation

摘要

We need fewer public libraries with greater independence. Here at the beginning of the 21st century, public libraries are still saddled with a 19th-century model of government. They are far too beholden to governing authorities, usually municipal or county governments, for their financial sustenance. This is a formula for mediocrity. "Local control" is the watchword of that 19th-century model of government. It is based on the idea that citizens have a right and responsibility to govern themselves and to control issues at the local level, issues that are outside the purview of the state and federal authorities. Zoning, land use policies, public schools, and public libraries are all examples of government services that are usually subject to local control.