From Rep. Tom Van Norman regarding the changes at the state library in Pierre.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
From: State Representative Thomas J Van Norman, District 28A
House of Representatives
State Capitol Building
Pierre, SD 57501
Capitol Phone: 605-773-3851
mailto:rep.vannorman@state.sd.us

SAVE OUR BOOKS BILLS-“DEFERRED BY HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE”

PIERRE-House Bill 1215 referred to by some as the Save Our Books bill was deferred to the 41st day by the House Education Committee Friday, February 2, 2007. The companion Senate Bill 210 received the same treatment in the Senate Education Committee.

I urge ordinary citizens to contact your Legislators, the Secretary of Education, and the State Librarian asking them to keep the State Library open as a public institution, to keep the interlibrary loan program intact so the State Library can serve citizens, and to stop the disbursement of 80% of the South Dakota State Library book
collection!

State Representative Tom Van Norman one of the sponsors of the Save Our Books Bills says, “This is a setback in our efforts to stop the part of the South Dakota State Library Transition Project Strategic Plan that calls for disbursement of an estimated 80 percent of the South Dakota State Library book collection.” It also calls for “disbursing” of all large print books, and cancellation of direct services for citizens. In fact, the State Library has been sending out its books since January 1st and closed its doors to the public that date. The plan is to change the Library from a Public Library into more of a “special” library that would primarily only serve state government employees and legislators, as opposed to citizens of this state.

The plan will essentially eliminate a one stop library resource for South Dakota residents located in rural, small towns and Indian Reservations. Tribal Colleges do not appear to be eligible to access the interlibrary loan program under the plan.

Breaking up and removing one of the best library collections in the midwest and replacing the book shelves with Government office space just doesn’t make sense to me.

Changing the mission of the South Dakota State Library is a policy decision and to my knowledge the legislature was not consulted in this rush to implement an out of state library consultant’s misguided plan.

I think we need to slow the process down, take a deep breath and see what the consequences of this plan will actually be to the citizens of this state before cutting public services even more. I believe a legislative interim study should be made before our State Library books are disbursed forever, making it more difficult and more costly for South Dakota citizens to use. It would be very costly to replace a great book collection such as what the State Library has made available to the citizens of South Dakota’s since 1913.

And where did all of the large print books get sent off too?

And why is there no money in the proposed State Budget to help the local libraries who are supposed to handle all interlibrary loans from now on?

And what are the hours of operation in our rural towns?

The Library Plan is replete with bad timing, bad policy and sends the wrong message.

Our State Government is supposed to serve the citizens, and that’s what the law says about the State Library. The State Library is responsible for executing the library policy of the State of South Dakota to promote adequate library service for ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE, to PROVIDE FOR THE CITIZENS of this state specialized library services and materials not generally appropriate, economical or available in other libraries of the state; establish and operate a state publications library distribution center, and other functions.

Let’s keep the books where they belong in our central library!

Tom Van Norman, State Representative District 28A

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