Thursday, December 22, 2011

Replace retiring library workers with volunteers?

Read about Councilmember Oliverio's proposal to replace retiring library workers with volunteers. From the Mercury News:
In an effort to preserve the cash-strapped city's budget, a San Jose councilman wants to replace retiring city library workers with community volunteers or face the more serious alternative of outsourcing the libraries altogether.

"We have beautiful libraries, and if we allow volunteers to augment current city staff, our libraries would be open more days per week," said Councilman Pierluigi Oliverio, who has consistently sought to outsource the city's union employees with less expensive contractors.

The full article is here.

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous9:03 PM

    Big mistake. Yes, volunteers worked at the Muni Rose Garden (and kudos to them) but library professionals ( and I stress professionals; many have masters degrees) -- budget, choose print and non print materials, decide policy, plan programs ... I could go on.

    Suffice to say, replacing retiring library workers with a volunteer staff is NOT a good idea!

    Bernadette
    Hull Avenue

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