Cranbury Public Library Web Site (Concern!!!)

[Cranbury Conservative]

The Cranbury public library has started to display its blog on the front page of the libraries web site. One of the main stories now appearing on the page is "May 19th Township Committee Meeting and Library Facts".

I am in favor of free speech and feel a blog is perfect for commentary on news, issues and events.

However I do find it to be wrong when and institution such as our public library which is funded by our tax dollars takes opinion from it's blog and places it on the Library's front page. Especially for such a sensitive topic as the PNC purchase.

I have contacted the head of the library to voice my concerns. When speaking with her she was very nice and listened to my concerns about the blog being displayed on the main library web site. I let her know that I felt the library was in a grey area with this type of commentary on its web site. Again she was pleasant and said she appreciated my comments and that she had the approval of the Library Trusties to have this information displayed on the Cranbury Library.

In the end I feel the libraries web site should be used to further enhance the services which are available and not be used to further an agenda.

As of 1:00 PM today the article is still there in the upper right hand corner: http://www.cranburypubliclibrary.org/

[Guest]

This is definitely a new feature added over the weekend. I think it's probably a way for the library to add new contents quickly to the homepage. If new contents are added, the PNC article will be pushed down. If the intention is to sway public opinion about the PNC purchase, then I think linking library with political agenda is not a wise decision.

[Guest]

The library should be very careful at what articles it places on it blog - especially any agendas that have not even been voted on or fully discussed in our town.

They are running the risk of a movement to request the library to return unused money back to the town for public use. Especially since it is the taxpayer that pays for their salaries. It is my understanding they are sitting on a surplus of 90,000 a YEAR.

So get this,
1. we will borrow money for the purchase and renovations
2. Our property taxes will increase due to this purchase
3. Due to the tax increase, the library will receive more money - since it's a state mandated law that funding is a percentage of our taxes.

[MWT]

I have to agree. The library Trustees are not a group of legal experts nor are they impartial so I disagree that they have the authority to approve this move. The fact that they approve to me does not mean that there is proper justification for posting.

The blog is a separate site and I am comfortable with it being operated as such.

The library site is tax payer funded and should be independent from any other outside influences regardless of whether they are in house or oustide.

Too many lines are getting crossed in today's government. Our only justifications are well we decided it was okay. I can understand the library trustee approval, but disagree with their actions as it goes around the rule of impartiality which as a taxpayer funded mechanism is critical. Libraries are the best example of an organization that should be impartial and neutral. The fact that our trustees are openly campaigning is a cause for concern to me. They represent Library facts, but present to alternate discussion as library approved.

[Concerned]

In addition to the web site and blog, the library has printed and copied the article for the May 19 meeting. Copies have been placed at the front desk as handouts for all patrons to see and take as they are checking out books. I assume the printing and copying was done at taxpayer expense. The checkout desk is shared by the public library and school library. It is used by all patrons including school children. Is the school also in on this? This blatant lobbying for the new library by taxpayer funded organizations is inappropriate.

[??]

Did the school put out such an effort leading to the vote of the school budget? In this case, I can understand their effort.

In the PNC case, there is not even a public vote! And I have no clue what the TC is doing to do with the site if a purchase is made. This is a very strange way of running a library.

If the town needs a new library, just put it on the ballot!

I am ready to support the "recall" effort.

[Cranbury Conservative]

"In April of this year the state legislature and Governor Corzine passed A1265 [1R] MORIARTY, RUSSO which allows library trustees to return excess funds raised from property taxes. Since some libraries receive funds in excess of what is needed for operations and have a surplus." (Such as Cranbury)


"We should be reviewing this new recently passed legislation and challenge the trusties of the Cranbury Public Library to return any excess funds to the tax payers of Cranbury and not move forward with additional costs to this town through either building or acquiring a facility for a new public library".

[Guest]

From what I understand, the library does not pay rent to the school. If there is a $90,000 excess of funds each year, the library could pay $90,000 "rent" to the school which would reduce the school budget and lower the tax impact of the recent $1 Million spending increase by the school. This method keeps in the spirit of the library funding law and is fair.

[aResident]

If the library committee decides that a new library is needed and the location shall be on the PNC site (abandoning the township's original plan), then I think Cranbury taxpayers deserve a public vote on this issue.

[Cranbury Conservative]

It's after 4:00 PM and the library still has its opinion and talking points from the library blog on the front page of the library web site.



http://www.cranburylibrary.org/

[Guest]

The library homepage added a "Comment and Suggestion Box" now.

I am puzzled that the library idea did not seem to be the main push for the purchase according to this Cranbury Press article:

http://www.packetonline.com/articles/2008/05/16/cranbury_press/news/doc482d9611bb8b0887995139.txt

And yet the library is pushing hard to buy the site.

[Stop the Whining]

[Guest]

[cranbury liberal]

I have to agree with stop the whining on this one. I have been a vocal opponent to the PNC acquisition and very critical, fairly so I believe, of the TC. So when I first read this discussion I was ready to be pretty upset if they posted some opinion piece all fluffy about the value of a new stand-alone library. But this seems overblown. The Blog has been up for a while and the only thing new, I guess, is the position on the page. If you actually go into the blog you will see they are allowing critical comments as well. We have a lot to rightly be up in arms about but focusing on this just makes us look petty or paranoid. I don't say this to belittle all those who have posted here. I think the TC's action just have us all on edge...

[Stop the Whining]

[cranbury liberal]