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Super Librarian is super frustrated:

It's going to suck.

It's going to suck so hard that I'm probably going to lose fillings.

Currently, where I work, we are not cutting hours, all branches are staying open, and we haven't cut permanent staff. What has happened? We have no "substitute" help to speak of. So if your children's librarian goes out on maternity leave, or the branch manager's appendix bursts, there are no substitute workers you can call in to help you run your branch. So yeah, it's great we haven't cut hours or closed branches, but in many cases we're majorly short-staffed. Also? Our materials budget will be slashed by over 50% this new fiscal year. Yes, I will somehow have to figure out how to buy books for 30+ libraries with 50% less money than I had last year.

This is just one personal experience. Imagine it multiplied over and over and over again. As library budgets are being slashed, material is becoming more expensive. We libraries have to figure out how to stretch our budgets to the last penny. That may mean we buy less books, subscribe to few e-journals and databases, and hire fewer, passionate staff to spread the love of literacy, reading, and knowledge exploration.

Think back when you were a kid. Can you imagine your childhood being complete without a school or public library? Think back to that time your first walked in to the building, the possibilities the laid before you. Nothing is as fun as finding just the right book to read. Nothing is as valuable as accessing that piece of information your most need. Nothing creates that sense of community discovery and strength as a library.

Libraries are not just warehouses of information, they are discovery and community centers.

Librarians are not shushers or gatekeepers, they are gate openers to a world of information.

Libraries are for sharing. Share the love and support libraries.