At nearly the 11th hour in this legislative session, the Senate author of the Library Legacy bill radically shifted his approach for continued funding. Rather than have funds allocated to the 12 regions (the practice of this biennium with each region identifying programs that meet local needs), the Senate bill proposes the State Arts Board receive the library appropriation. The Arts Board would then manage a statewide competitive program. While the Senate author is trying to correct a perceived problem, the well-written Op Ed piece by George Lattimer and Peter Pearson, from The Friends of the St. Paul Public Library, points out there was one small problem and a host of huge successes. Click here for their comments printed in today's, May 16, 2011, Star Tribune “Short Takes”.
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