CORRECTION: Nothing has been determined until the Library Board meeting that will take place on Tuesday, September 22nd.Sad news - the Elizabeth Williams (Snellville) library branch and the Buford library branch could close on February 27, 2010, according to documents obtained by Chad Parson, President of the Dacula Business Association and shared with MySnellvilleBlog.com.
Parson says that the information was obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request to the Gwinnett County Library System.
"We want everyone to know that we are trying to find a way to save ALL Gwinnett libraries, not just Dacula. The Library Board vote is Tuesday night & we need Snellville & Buford residents to know that if we lose... they are next."If you'd like more information on the movement to save Gwinnett's libraries, see www.savedaculalibrary.com. Chad Parson can be contacted at dcparson[at]gmail.com
It seems to me (MySnellvilleBlog blogger), that the Snellville (SNE) library branch is too small already for the population in Snellville. I think the next closest (or convenient) branch for us would be the Grayson Branch, located at 700 Grayson Parkway. It is a lovely branch, but it's not "our" Snellville branch, so this is sad to me. Nobody from Snellville could walk to that branch within a reasonable amount of time, and riding a bicycle there would be hazardous. We could also use the Centerville branch.
It's so natural to be sad and mad about this, and take it personally. After all, I've been taking my children there since they were toddlers.
A handwritten internal note in the document asks,
"Can we feasibly close BUF & SNE [Buford & Suwanee] at the same time & set up 2 computer labs within 2 weeks of each other?! A lot to do but great if we can!"I would hope that they are pained in closing any of the branches. When you only have so much money, it has to be stretched somehow. I think it's great that people feel moved to fight for their library branch. I really love the Elizabeth Williams branch and hope something can and will be done, however, hard decisions sometimes have to be made. It's a grieving process, and I'll probably just have to accept it.
From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, dated July 13, 2009:
I wonder if we, the citizens of Snellville, organized as a community, we could staff the library ourselves? If we could, would be willing to, to save our library? Or would we rather just drive out to Grayson?“We just don’t have enough revenue to support everything we’ve built,” said Mike Comer, deputy county administrator. “We certainly regret the measures we’re taking.”
Comer said the county does not advise the library which buildings it should staff, but operational budgets are being strained because of the 2009 cuts.
“We don’t tell the library what they can open and not open,” he said. “I understand the cuts will present a severe problem for them.”
Michelle Long, spokeswoman for the library system, said opening for the $7.4 million Hamilton Mill Library has been delayed but she not speculate for how long. The county had planned to have the facility running this winter.
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Thank you for keeping us informed about all the events & happenings in Snellville. I wouldn't know about most of it if it weren't for your blog.
ReplyDeleteI'm sad to hear that they are planning on closing our branch. As a homeschooling mother who happens to live right behind the library, I'm very upset. The library is one of the greatest resources for my kids. They love going & picking out books to read each week.
Please continue to update us on ways we can make our voices heard in this matter. It would be a shame to close such a popular branch - it's packed every time I go in there. And most of the employees are so extremely helpful & nice. This is one of the few free things left in our community. So it is a shame that they don't do more to try to keep these branches open.
I know C'ville & Grayson aren't far. But they certainly are more inconvenient. Why are the established libraries the ones they choose to close?
Thanks, Erin. I just made a correction - nothing has definitely been decided until the Library Board meets on 9/22/09. I'm sorry for any confusion my error has caused. BUT, the branches are leaning toward the chopping block.
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