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The State Librarian's Column

SBC has an advertisement running right now that asks the question “Are we there yet?” Having spent a good deal of time this past month researching the history of the State Library and Library Development in particular, I find myself asking – will we ever get there? Of course this begs the question, where is there. To me the there goes back to the very beginning of the public library movement and was best articulated by Target ’76. “Total Library Service for All the People of Connecticut.” The path to that goal has at times been inspired, rocky, and unsure. Progress has been measured. The record shows that some of the same problems and constraints show up decade after decade. Yet, many people in Connecticut have spent countless hours working towards better library service for all. Over the course of the last century many innovative projects have been implemented. Some have matured into ongoing services. Today many of these services need increased financial support if they are to reach their full potential. It seems that funding has never been sufficient, yet, however limited, state and federal funds have made a significant impact on library development in Connecticut. The need and competition for library dollars at all levels has grown keen. In the past health care, social service and retirement costs were hardly mentioned. Today their costs are soaring consuming ever more public dollars resulting in new competition for library dollars. Library use continues to grow putting more pressure on staffing and resources. Demand for information resources continues to grow putting pressure on library material budgets. Exciting new technologies make reaching more people possible, but at a cost. The diversity and demographics of library users is changing like never before in Connecticut. Are we there yet? No. But as I tell my kids – half the fun is getting there, especially when you know where you are going. It has been 10 years since the last Governor’s Commission on Libraries was convened. The time is fast approaching for us to again look at how, in this time of great social and economic change, we as a state can attain total library service for all the people of Connecticut. The State Librarian’s Column 1