P-G: Garden tour raises funds for Mt. Lebanon Library

It was all about books and blooms at the Mt. Lebanon Library Saturday evening. Putting together a lovely gathering in the library's courtyard garden under pink and green lanterns was party chair Elizabeth Rychcik. The party was a kickoff for Sunday's 21st annual Mt. Lebanon Library Garden Tour, organized by David McKibben, with wife Cecilia.

There was very little wait with the plate thanks to the two bars set up in the library's garden and a bountiful buffet in the adjacent library, giving everyone more time to socialize and sample savories and sweets donated by PapaGallo, Atria's, Mitchell's Fish Market, Bado's, Mmm, Mmm Pizza and Sesame Inn, to name a few.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/pg/11193/1159744-460.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The Almanac: Library cuts staff

Somewhere on the vast shelves of the Mt. Lebanon Public Library is a copy of Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities."

A partial quote from the first sentence "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . . " pretty much summed up the month of January for the library.

An unexpected infusion of money from the Mt. Lebanon Commissioners permitted the library to reopen on Sundays beginning Jan. 9, but additional funding cuts from other sources forced the layoff of four employees Jan. 20 and 21. Three were full-time employees, one worked part time.

Read the full article:

• www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/02-09-2011-ML-library-staff-cuts (The Almanac)

RAD Cuts Crippling Library, Mt. Lebanon Officials Say

Commissioners in Mt. Lebanon plan to advise the board of Allegheny County's Regional Asset District that a second year of reductions in RAD allocations to member libraries might further affect Mt. Lebanon's ability to continue some of its popular programs in 2011.

Manager Steve Feller said Mt. Lebanon faces another $65,000-$70,000 in library cuts for 2011. "We are one of the most widely used libraries in the county, our local support is substantial, but we are being penalized," he said.

Read more: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_680592.html

Mt. Lebanon Library To Close On Sundays In 2010

Dramatic funding cuts in the 2009-2010 Pennsylvania Library Access Appropriation has local libraries making adjustments to provide services to their patrons.

Mt. Lebanon plans to close Sundays next year while Peters Township will be closed on Sundays next summer. Both libraries, along with Upper St. Clair, plan to increase fees.

When the Pennsylvania General Appropriations Act of 2009 was signed into law this past October, it included $3 million in funding for Library Access Appropriation, down 72 percent from last year's $10,542,000. Funding for POWER Library was cut 58 percent, the Electronic Library Catalog (including Access PA) was cut 53 percent, and the Statewide Library Card was cut 100 percent.

When Cynthia K. Richey, director of Mt. Lebanon Public Library was asked about the budget cuts, her reply was simple: "It's awful. The loss of funding for public libraries is catastrophic."

Read more: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/12-23-2009-South-Hills-library-cuts

Book Cellar Celebrates First Year At ML library

The Book Cellar at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library will celebrate its first anniversary Dec. 3 with an open house at the library. Started by members of the Friends of the Mt. Lebanon Library, proceeds from the Book Cellar help finance the library.

"This (Book Cellar) was in response to two book sales we held at the library every year," said Susan Fretterd, a member of the Friends. "It was a bigger and bigger job each year and we had to rent space for storage and haul the books back and forth, and it was unwieldy. And we asked, 'Why not have books for sale year round.'"

Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/11-25-2009-Mt--Lebanon-book-cellar

Residents And Groups Donating To Libraries To Cover Shortfall

When members of the Dormont/Castle Shannon/Mt. Lebanon Rotary Club heard about the severe funding cuts to community libraries, they turned to flower power.

The club sells poinsettias each year at the holidays to raise money for community projects. This year, proceeds from the sale will be split among the Dormont, Mt. Lebanon and Castle Shannon libraries.

"The way the libraries are, we thought we'd help them out," member Jason Baer said. "We give money to libraries from other efforts but, as a board, we decided maybe we could help them out more."

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/09316/1012756-55.stm

County Libraries Debate Plan For Fund-Sharing Formula

Most would agree you can't put a price on the services public libraries provide to communities. But deciding precisely how much money should go to suburban libraries in Allegheny County has become an unlikely source of contention.

It's a tough time for the 44 libraries that receive annual funding through the county's Regional Asset District. With proposed cuts in the state budget looming and individual contributions down, many have come to count on a chunk of RAD's $5.6 million allocation.

Recently, the Allegheny County Library Association presented the RAD board with a proposal to change the fund-sharing formula used since 2000. Committee members -- roughly 22 volunteers from libraries representing the four geographic areas of the county -- spent 18 months working on what eventually would be three different versions of a new formula.

Mt. Lebanon director Cynthia Richey, who is the vice president of the ACLA board but is not on the formula committee, has been perhaps the most outspoken critic of the formula recently rejected by RAD.

"Mt. Lebanon has long supported funding for distressed libraries, and we still expect to lose [RAD funds]," Mrs. Richey said. "But it is a flawed formula. … We want to see it equitably distributed, so you don't have a huge gain by one library and a huge loss by another."

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/09281/1003684-55.stm

Library Seeks Public Input On Cuts

When word went out that the Mt. Lebanon Public Library stands to lose more than 10 percent of its annual budget due to funding cuts, the public was invited to attend forums soliciting ways to reduce the shortfall. Only two residents showed up Sept. 8 for the first of three forums.

One problem facing the library is the lack of a state budget, making it difficult to determine how much state funding will be available.

Another is that if the Allegheny County Library Association adopts a new formula for distributing money through the Regional Asset District, the Mt. Lebanon library could lose more than $170,000, said library director Cynthia Richey. The annual library budget is $1.6 million.

Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/09-16-ML-library-funding

Mt. Lebanon Garden Tour Full Of Delights

A big, bumpy cucumber basks in the sun, hanging above Fred Crissman's head. Mr. Crissman is yelling across the yard to his wife, laughing as he asks, "Hey Ar, how many variations of flowers do you think we have here?"

Arlene Crissman turns and stares at her husband for about 15 seconds, and then shakes her head as if to say "You've got to be kidding me." The "hundreds upon hundreds" of precisely planted flowers, herbs, vegetables and fruits growing in hand-crafted, screened-in, wooden enclosures in the Crissman yard were not organized by a professional landscaper.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/09192/983128-47.stm

Allegheny Regional Asset District Continues Hold On Spending

Local libraries, parks and cultural attractions, already hurting because of the declining economy took another wallop Wednesday from the Allegheny Regional Asset District.

RAD's board, worried about declining sales tax collections, announced that it would continue withholding 10 percent of operating grants and all discretionary capital grants at least for two more months.

Link: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_632898.html

More on Proposed Cuts to the RAD Contribution to the Mt. Lebanon Library Budget

An important message from Joe Wertheim, regarding proposed cuts in RAD funding for the Mt. Lebaon Library:

Special Board meeting-Wednesday, July 8, at 4 p.m. in the RAD conference room, 1610 of the Regional Enterprise Tower, 425 Sixth Avenue, Pittsburgh. This meeting is to discuss projected revenues for the remainder of 2009 and 2010, as well as any other matters (which would be the proposed ACLA formula). Public speakers have to register by 10:30 a.m. the day of the meeting; comments are limited to 3 minutes.

Contractual Asset hearings are August 25 and 27 at 3:30 p.m. Same location.
(ACLA is a contractual asset)

Board meeting & prelim budget release: Sept. 29 at 4 p.m. Same location

Budget public hearing-October 21 at 3:30 p.m. Same location

Board meeting & adoption of 2010 budget--December 1 at 4 p.m. Same location

The RAD, however, will not vote on the formula until sometime in September, after they have heard the budget presentations from all the assets.

The RAD Board's next Board meeting will be September 29 at which time they release their preliminary budget. Public comments can be made at that meeting.

There will still be time after that to speak to the RAD at the October 21 budget public hearing.
The RAD adopts its final budget at the Dec. 1 Board meeting.

There is time before the vote to contact the RAD members to express your concern about the negative impact on our library if the ACLA formula is allowed to stand.

Thanks for your help.
Joe Wertheim, President
Friends of the Mt. Lebanon Public Library

Save Mt. Lebanon Library

We received a flyer today from a member of the Mt. Lebanon Library Board of Trustees regarding the potential funding cut as a result of a change to the Allegheny County Library Association’s (ACLA) formula for the distribution of Regional Asset District (RAD) funds to 44 county libraries.

I have posted the contents of the flyer below since we can't upload PDF files to our blogging account:

---

Save Mt. Lebanon Library!

We need your help! Take action and tell RAD to say NO to the ACLA funding formula!

Why?

If RAD accepts the ACLA formula—Mt. Lebanon Library loses and so do you! Mt. Lebanon Library will lose more than $170,000 in annual funding.

You lose:

• Friday and Sunday service at the Library—we will have to close for these two days—all year long!
  
• Popular Library programs—for example—instead of five preschool story times each week—we will have one!
  
• Valuable help from Library staff—we will have to reduce staff by six part-time positions!
  
• Material for you to borrow—we will have to reduce our purchases of books, audio and video materials, magazine, and online databases by approximately 40%.
  

Don’t let this happen to this gem in our community.

Don’t let this happen to the thousands of people who use our Library. Don’t let this happen to you

Help now—by writing to RAD and telling them to say NO to ACLA!!! We need your help and we need it now. Thanks for supporting the Mt. Lebanon Library!

Here are some points about Allegheny County Library Association’s (ACLA) formula for the distribution of Regional Asset District (RAD) funds to 44 county libraries. Feel free to use those that resonate with you. Please contact the library if you have any questions or would like additional information. 412-531-1912.

CALL OR WRITE NOW—HERE’S HOW:

You may call or send your letters or e-mail messages to:

Regional Asset District
425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 1610
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
412-227-1900
info@radworkshere.org

Background

The Regional Asset District (RAD) provides $5,175,000 to 44 public libraries in Allegheny County. Using a formula developed by the Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA), the funds are distributed to the county libraries (excluding Carnegie Library of Pitts-burgh, which receives its RAD funds directly). Since 1995, when RAD began distributing funds to regional assets such as the zoo, parks, and libraries, ACLA has served as a pass-through for RAD funds to libraries and has used a formula for the distribution. ACLA recently created a radically new formula, the third since 1995. The last revision to a formula was in 2000. The RAD must approve any distribution formula developed by ACLA. RAD will decide later this summer and fall whether to approve ACLA’s new formula.

Points about ACLA’s formula

Inequitable Support for Distressed Libraries

Support for distressed libraries is grossly inequitable. Wilkinsburg, a distressed library, loses $54,402. McKeesport, another distressed library, gains $132,771. The assertion that the formula’s swings in gains and losses are due to additional money going to distressed librar-ies is inaccurate. Net gain for the 8 distressed libraries is less than $150,000 (of the $5,175,000 RAD funds distributed to all 44 county libraries.)

Large Gains to Non-Distressed Libraries

Non-distressed libraries gain a total of $442,175 in the formula. Many of these libraries serve communities that can afford to support li-braries well, for example, Moon, Hampton, Plum, Northland [serving McCandless, Franklin Park, Ross, Bradford Woods, Marshall], Lauri Ann West [serving Fox Chapel, O’Hara, Aspinwall, Blawnox, Sharpsburg, and others], to name a few.

Inequitable Regional Distribution—the South Takes the Biggest Hit!

There is inequitable regional distribution in the formula: South Region libraries take biggest hit, with 10 of the 12 libraries losing more than $411,000 (Mt. Lebanon loses $171,000), while only 2 gain: Clairton, a distressed library, gains $25,108 while Pleasant Hills gains only $2,559. Green Tree library (in ACLA’s West Region, but contiguous to South Region libraries) loses $29,540. [Libraries in ACLA’s South Region: Baldwin Borough, Bethel Park, Brentwood, Clairton, Castle Shannon, Dormont, Jefferson Hills, Mt. Lebanon, Pleasant Hills, South Park, Upper St. Clair, Whitehall] The loss of library service to the residents of the South Hills of Allegheny County will be catastrophic. This cannot be considered fair or equitable.

Mt. Lebanon Suffers the Largest Loss—More than 10% of our Operating Budget!

Mt. Lebanon has long been one of the most successful libraries in the county and state, serving people of all ages from across southwest-ern Pennsylvania. The award-winning library’s high usage measures are evidence of this success and exceed those of peer libraries across the country: circulation, library visits, collection size, reference questions, program attendance, public computer use, web site visits, and more. Moreover, the library receives strong support from the municipality and residents of the community, which should be rewarded and leveraged in the funding formula, as it has been since 1995. It does not make sense that Mt. Lebanon Public Library is losing the largest amount in the formula, $170,976, more than double the next biggest loss by a library. This is more than 10% of our operating budget.

Large Swings in Gains and Losses is Too Extreme

This is not the time to enact a radically changed ACLA formula for the distribution of RAD funds to libraries, one that contains wild swings in gains and losses. Twenty-three of the forty-four libraries lose RAD funds in ACLA’s formula. In a year when libraries already face severe funding cuts from the State (perhaps as much as 50%), it is unthinkable that a formula redistribution causes so many of these libraries to suffer extreme losses.

No Incentive for Local Support

The lack of a factor that leverages local income and municipal support penalizes libraries that have good municipal support. Moreover, the lack of a factor to provide any incentive for local income will result in further reduced library support and diminished library service across the county. The intent of RAD funds has always been to supplement, not supplant, local municipal and community support of libraries and to leverage local financing. It is impossible for RAD to support county libraries in lieu of meaningful local contributions. The formula should reward local support of libraries.

We urge the Regional Asset District Board to reject ACLA’s new formula.

Save Mt. Lebanon Library—Tell RAD—say NO to ACLA!!

Garden Party And Tour This Weekend

Garden Party -- Saturday, July 11th, 6 to 8 p.m., Library Courtyard

For the fifth year the Library Board is hosting a pre-tour Garden Party in the Library Courtyard. Cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and great conversation with fellow garden lovers! This event is attended by young and old. The food comes from great Mt. Lebanon establishments and the beer and wine flow all evening long. All refreshments are included with your ticket!

$25 admission, in advance (at the Library) or at the door!

19th Annual Mt. Lebanon Public Library Garden Tour

The 19th Annual Garden Tour benefiting the Mt. Lebanon Public Library will be held on Sunday, July 12th from 12 to 5 p.m. This year’s tour features seven distinctive Mt. Lebanon gardens. The famous plant sale is back, too!

The Garden Tour has been a significant source of funding for the library. Since 1991, Garden Tours have raised more than $292,000 for the benefit of the library. Proceeds from the previous Garden Tours helped build the new library and the outdoor courtyard, and have provided books, audio-visual materials, puppets, and programs for patrons of all ages.

Ticket prices remain the same as last year:

$12 in advance
$15 on tour day

State Funding Formula Would Put Suburban Libraries In A Jam

Suburban libraries are scrambling to figure out how to make up lost money under a proposed formula that appears to address concerns expressed by those providing the dollars.

Suburban libraries wrangled over a formula for four years and approved the latest version this week by a 33-9 vote, with two abstentions. "It was designed so that there would be predictable funding from year to year," Jenkins said. "It was designed to be as simple as possible and as equitable as possible."

The old formula was based on population, economic distress, use of the library by residents and nonresidents, the number of hours the library is open and local funding. This formula, if RAD approves, would not consider library hours or local funding.

Jenkins noted 14 libraries that would lose money voted for the formula. South Park and Mt. Lebanon public libraries, however, voted against it. Cynthia Richey, director of Mt. Lebanon's library, said the formula doesn't accomplish the goal of helping distressed libraries.

Link: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_631161.html

Change In Formula May Push Libraries Funds Down, Up

Since 1994 when Regional Asset District funding became available to the 44 suburban libraries in Allegheny County, those libraries that received higher levels of municipal support received higher levels of RAD funding.

But proposed changes in the formula to distribute about $5.6 million in RAD funding for 2010 would take the emphasis off local support and place it more on usage and distress level.

That means that some libraries, such as Carnegie Library of McKeesport, would see a significant increase in funding, if the change is approved in a vote by the suburban libraries next month. But others, such as Mt. Lebanon Public Library, would take a large hit in their level of RAD funding.

UPDATE: 5th Ward Commissioner Dan Miller has commented on this issue on his web site.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/09134/969829-55.stm

Signs Of A Weak Economy Can Be Seen Everywhere

Alycia Knauer frequently visits the Job and Career Education Center at the Carnegie Library in Oakland to get books on the law-school entrance exam.

Knauer is among the increasing number of people visiting libraries nationwide to take advantage of free resources such as Internet access and videos.

Mt. Lebanon Public Library saw a 5 percent increase in visitors from November 2007 to November 2008, said Cynthia Richey, director of the Mt. Lebanon library.

"Libraries are essential to society anyway, but become more essential in an economic downturn," Richey said. General circulation at the Mt. Lebanon library rose 3 percent during the past year.

Link: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/tribpm/s_605880.html

Year-Round Used Book Store Opens At Library

The "glogg" was largely ignored, but everything else was pretty popular at the grand opening of Mt. Lebanon Public Library's used-book store.

Although few drank the glogg -- a nonalcoholic version of a Swedish beverage resembling mulled wine -- crowds of patrons snacked on cookies and other drinks last Thursday while viewing the bright displays of new, holiday-themed books.

"We've wanted to do this for many years," said Cynthia Richey, library director. "I think my friends and I talked about a permanent used-book shop ... in 1995-96, and this is finally becoming a reality."

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08346/934211-55.stm

Ukrainian Librarians Check Out Lebo Resources

A group of Ukrainian librarians who toured the Mt. Lebanon Public Library recently were impressed with the resources available to library patrons. "I would like to see Ukrainian libraries equipped and financed like this," said Victoria Choch, a member of a Ukrainian library consortium. Choch was one of five librarians from the Ukraine who spent a week in the Pittsburgh area learning how American libraries function.

Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/10-08-Ml-Library-visit-pix

Libraries Have DVDs Online

Movie lovers already know that the local library is a place where they can check out videos free of charge. Now, some libraries are now making it even easier to do so by offering an online video service. It allows patrons to download videos onto their computer without driving to the library and without waiting for other patrons to return copies of the most popular titles.

The service, called MyLibrarydv, offers hundreds of videos ranging from popular Hollywood movies to nonfiction titles in categories such as cooking, medicine, travel and antiques. Green Tree Public Library has offered the service since May, and Mt. Lebanon Public Library has offered it since 2007.

Mt. Lebanon Library Director Cynthia Richey said 59 people have downloaded videos from the service in the last five months. She expects that number to increase as more patrons become aware of it.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08269/914661-55.stm

Link 2: mldv.permissiontv.com/channels/mtlebanon_pa/

Library Receives $50K Grant

Last week state Rep. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, presented the town's public library with a $50,000 state grant. The money will help the library improve its resources while helping it to cope with rising prices and a smaller budget.

The grant will help the library expand its collection by buying more large-print books, audio books, early childhood education resources, and materials for families who home school and for families who don't speak English as their primary language.

Some 76 percent of the more than 33,000 town residents have a library card.

Last year, the library circulated more than 565,880 books and other materials and was visited by more than 397,500 patrons.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08220/902395-55.stm