Woe be unto him who floggs a dead horse.
"If I have done nothing else in my tenure here,
it is to unite the library community in this state
solidly against me." Maurice Travillian, State
Librarian.
Lovely sentiment, Maurice. Just what we like to hear
from the person responsible for providing services to
the very libraries which, by his own admission, are set
so solidly against him.
If you're joining us late in the conversation, we were
discussing the SAILOR PROJECT, a hopeless boondoggle that
was intended to provide internet access to the citizens
of Maryland, but has only succeeded in spending money and
frustrating people. (See
Hear No Evil, See No Evil
in a recent issue.
We've heard from a lot of folks on this topic, and
have learned the following from reliable sources:
The SAILOR PROJECT has spent over $1.5 million of
hard-to-get Federal and State funding at the expense
of nearly all other special projects that would normally
be underway at local county libraries.
Knowledgeable sources say the PRATT LIBRARY IN BALTIMORE was
a doubtful choice for a successful outcome, since historically
it has not been a shining example of a library. It is, however,
the State Library, and the decision was, by all accounts, a
political rather than a practical one. Huge shock there.
Their efforts have benefited precious few, mainly those
living in the metropolitan area. Pratt's performance has
been so disappointing that some counties have pulled out
and gone to independent service providers.
If SAILOR dialup on the lower shore were a human being,
the coroner would have pronounced it dead some time ago,
and the flowers on its grave would already have begun to
fade.
But state projects are like Rasputin, the Mad Monk, whose
will to live was so strong that it took over an ounce of
arsenic, a major head-banging with a sturdy Russian shovel,
and drowning to extinguish his light. Sailor wants one
more drink at the public trough before sailing off into
the sunset.
SAILOR IS SLATED FOR ANOTHER $750,000.00 of your money.
It's purpose has not suddenly changed. They have not
decided to feed the homeless, or find a cure for pain.
Their mission is still to provide internet services,
something they have already demonstrated a complete
and total inability to do. Giving them more money
to do it will not change that. This has to stop.
As much as we believe in the power of the internet,
we do not believe it is a panacea, nor is it for everyone.
Libraries ARE for everyone. Above all, we must never lose
sight of that.
Regardless of what happens
to Sailor, what we hear from librarians and media specialists
around the state is that they need books, and magazines, and
funding for special projects that are based on the needs of
their communities. Their role is not simply to stamp your
book and to be sure you bring it back promptly. It is the
role of the public library to provide more, to anticipate
the needs of their own communities and to be able to say,
as they often do: "We have just what you're looking for."
Sure, lots of people are looking for internet access. But
there are other needs as well. Throwing another three quarters
of a million dollars down the SAILOR hatch isn't going to help
anyone, not SAILOR, not Travillian, not Pratt and certainly
not the citizens of the State of Maryland.
Turnabout is fair play, and Kathleen Reif, Director of the
Wicomico County Public Library, knows a thing or two about
the way these plays are made. Last week she gave me a copy
of a fax illustrated here, which she had just sent to the
State Librarian, Mr. Travillian.
She also included both of the editorials mentioned above,
to which, as yet, we have not received a response. We do
not expect one. That our intentions were clear to Kathleen
Reif is enough for us. Maurice Travillian is no more real
to us than we are to him, apparently. Perhaps that's just
as well.
