Outsourcing Bedford (Texas) Public

Library:  A Bad Idea

This website has been created to oppose the City Council's consideration of a proposal to outsource the supervision and services of the Bedford (Texas) Public Library.

Updates

8/29/2007:  The proposal to outsource Bedford Public Library failed  by a 4-3 vote of the City Council last night!! Long-time supporters of keeping BPL locally managed are to be commended for all their hard work! We especially want to thank the four council members who voted to keep Bedford PL locally managed--Mayor Jim Story, who broke the 3-3 deadlock; Councilwoman Lori Nail, Councilman Roy Savage, and Councilman Roy Turner.

8/28/2007:  LSSI has removed the confidentiality clause from their proposal. Several library supporters now have copies of both proposals (LSSI and BPL) to study before the council meeting tonight at 7 p.m.

Library Journal's Norman Oder reported about Bedford Public LIbrary's outsourcing crisis on August 27.

8/26/2007: 

A G E N D A

Regular Meeting of the Bedford City Council

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

2000 Forest Ridge Drive

Council Chambers

Work Session 6:00 P.M.

Regular Session 7:00 P.M.

NEW BUSINESS:

18. Discussion and possible action with regards to the RFP to outsource the operation of the Bedford Public Library. ***Item requested by Councilman Orean

SOURCE: http://www.ci.bedford.tx.us/council/agendas/cc070828.pdf

8/25/2007:  "Foes trying to block library outsourcing," by Jessica DeLeón, Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Quoting from the article:

"Diane Versocki, who is spearheading the drive, said she has about 275 signatures.

"'I believe that public libraries should be run locally,' she said. 'The employees of the library are responsible to the citizens in Bedford.'

"Councilman Charles Orean, who led the look at outsourcing, said petitions don't carry a lot of weight with him unless they have a significant number of signatures.

"'I'm going to be evaluating the merits of this issue on both sides,' he said."

 

8/24/2007:  Plan to attend the August 28th Bedford City Council meeting! Bring your signed petitions, family, and friends!

8/15/2007:  Several dozen residents opposed to outsourcing the library attended the August 14 Bedford City Council meeting and stood together to show council members that they are opposed to outsourcing. Petitions were delivered to city officials. Outsourcing opponents will continue to attend council meetings and to gather names for the petition against outsourcing. Thank you so much to each Bedford resident who attended the meeting or signed a petition! 

• Print and sign our petition; ask other Bedford residents to sign it, too. Return your petitions to Diane Versocki.

• Print copies of the flyer on outsourcing the library. Ask your favorite Bedford businesses to display them. 

• Read "Take Action Now" (below) for more ways Bedford residents can show their opposition to the idea of outsourcing the library.

See Update 08/28/2007--New Question: Why does LSSI keep secret the details of their outsourcing proposal ? 

• Who really owns LSSI? What type of changes will new ownership bring to LSSI?  More On LSSI 

• If awarded the contract, will LSSI make the same types of mistakes in Bedford that occurred under their management of the Fargo (North Dakota) Public Library? Read about their financial issues here and here.  

• How far will LSSI go to save money? Just ask Millington, Tennessee, Library Director Brian Miller. 

• Why does LSSI continue to list libraries on their website that are no longer clients?

• Why should we trust our library to a private company that manages only a handful of the 9200+ public libraries in the United States and only four (4) of the 580 public libraries in Texas?

• Who are the four Texas cities that have contracted with LSSI? 

• Why should we send our tax dollars to Maryland and allow a group of outsiders to control our library? 

• How will Bedford taxpayers find out exactly how LSSI is spending our tax dollars when, as a private company, LSSI does not have to comply with the Public Information (formerly Open Records) Act? 

• Who is going to be held accountable to the citizens of Bedford--our elected city officials or a Maryland company? 

• Why outsource a core city service that is already successful according to 93.4% of people surveyed in the Bedford Public Library Report Card 2006?  

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  Essential Reading

   

  "The Selling of the Public Library"  In this passionate defense of free public libraries, former ALA President Patricia Glass Schuman states:

  "Libraries exist because our society values the free flow of ideas and opinion. They are not about profit. They promote access, equity, and diversity. America's public libraries are the building blocks of democracy, valued for their comprehensiveness, currency, openness, and multiplicity of viewpoints."

   

  "2 groups submit bids to run the library" by Jessica DeLeon, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

   

  RFID Technology for Libraries  (explanation of the technology mentioned in DeLeon's article)

   

  “Library Experts: Outsourcing of management at the San Juan [TX] Public Library receives mixed reaction” by Ryan Holeywell. Themonitor.com (McAllen, TX), August 5, 2007

   

  History of the Bedford Public Library outsourcing controversy

   

  Councilman ROY TURNER on Library Outsourcing

   

  "When LSSI Comes to Town," an article about the Maryland private, for-profit library management company bidding to take over operations of our library

  "Outsourcing can save money, but at what cost? LSSI’s performance eludes full evaluation—statistics like hours, circulation, and spending provide only a sketch. But LSSI’s record suggests tensions between a profit-seeking company and a public agency. Savings may go to profits instead of services. Fully outsourced libraries no longer control compensation—and LSSI saves money on staff. Also, the library may be less publicly accountable."

  --Norman Oder

   

  Bedford Public Library Business Plan 2007-2012 Prepared by Library Manager Maria Redburn, this 5-year plan gives an overview of all aspects of the library--past, present, and future.

   

  Links to other articles about library outsourcing

   

  News articles about the city council's proposal to outsource library services 

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  Take Action Now! 

   

  Contact the Mayor, City Council, and City Manager today!

   

  Bedford residents who oppose outsourcing still have a chance to add our voices to those of others who have been fighting for months to preserve local control of our public library.  

   

  **Write letters and/or send e-mails to the Mayor, City Council members, and the City Manager. Be polite, tell them why you oppose outsourcing the library, and check your grammar and spelling. Remind city officials that many other residents have already voiced opposition to this proposal. Here is the letter that I sent to city officials.

  **NOTE: Please send copies of your letters or e-mail letters to Library Manager Maria Redburn.

   

  Call the Mayor's Hotline -- 817.952.2108.

   

  Ask friends, family, and other Bedford residents to contact city officials. 

    

  Contact LSSI officials.

  • A representative of LSSI met with the City Council, Library Board, Library Staff, and concerned citizens in November 2006. Read an account of that meeting.

  • LSSI is the only private, for-profit company with experience managing a few libraries from over 9000 public libraries in the U.S.

  • Tell LSSI that we do not want them to run our library. Customize the sample letter provided here. Groups of citizens can adapt an alternate letter provided here.

Attend City Council meetings. Tell the council members how you feel about outsourcing the library.  

Communicate with the Library Advisory Board. Let them know that you support their opposition to outsourcing. 

Join the Friends of the Library and get involved!

Keep up with Bedford news. Subscribe to The Bedford Citizen, a new e-newspaper. Here is a sample issue.