This afternoon, the Boston Public Library Board of Trustees will meet to discuss the FY2011 budget.  Below are the prepared remarks Councilor Ross will make.  The meeting will take place at the Copley Square library starting at 3 P.M.

The City of Boston has a well-earned and proud reputation around the world as a city that is committed to educating all of its citizens.  Boston is home to the first public high school.  And, our city was also the first to establish a public library. 

When the Boston Public Library opened in 1854, it was run by a group of wealthy white men with names like Quincy, Ticknor, and Everett.  While the world remains in their debt for creating the public library model, their philanthropy came with a price: the paternalistic bent of the times in which they lived.  Since the time of the Brahmins, the leadership of the BPL has evolved to include both men and women, with names like Ortiz, DePrisco, and Rudman.  And, unlike our predecessors, community engagement is considered one of our greatest assets.

It is the job of the President and the Board of Trustees to run our city’s library without being micromanaged by City Hall.  But when the idea of closing eight to ten of these branch libraries is proposed, the decision becomes the domain of us all.  Our branch libraries are not only a place where Bostonians can learn or be entertained—they also serve as safe havens for children and adults whose lives are touched by violence and poverty.

It’s clear that the way in which library patrons access information is changing.  When you combine that paradigm shift with a $3.6 million budget gap, it’s tempting to chip away at the bricks and mortar of the Boston Public Library system.  But trying financial times should not be the sole justification for change.  I believe fixing the finances of the library system by closing libraries should be the last resort, especially if Boston is also examining closing community centers. 

Re-envisioning the BPL for the future should be an endeavor we approach carefully.  Consider the lesson we learned from the Boston Public Schools—in the 1970s and ‘80s, the system closed and sold several of its buildings, transforming these classrooms into condos and chain stores.  Those of you who’ve attended a school committee meeting know we’re still feeling the ramifications from the loss of those buildings.

Before any talk of closing branches solely in the name of savings, the BPL needs to first demonstrate that it has eliminated any and all waste.  We need to examine everything from the HVAC systems in our buildings to the cars used by library staff.  I have asked the BPL to provide detailed information on its entire budget—from explaining its external funding sources to explaining the purpose and cost of every contract it has with an outside firm. 

The City Council will begin a review of the BPL budget this Thursday at 10:30 A.M., when the Committee on Post-Audit and Oversight will hold a hearing on the 2010 library budget.

I know the men and women who run our libraries do so for all the right reasons—for love of service and learning.  Engage our greatest asset—the residents of this city—before you move forward with your decision.