Iowa Republican Legislators are Coming for Our Public Libraries
And Andrew Carnegie is spinning in his grave...
A library is a miracle. A place where you can learn just about anything, for free. A place where your mind can come alive—Ray Bradbury.
Bradbury is the author of many books, including the dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 which presents a future American society where books have been outlawed and "firemen" burn any that are found.
Republican legislators and governors across the nation, including Iowa, are purging schools of books and lessons they don’t like, and now Iowa is taking it even further, threatening the funding for our public libraries and the independence of our library boards.
Local government chairperson, Republican Jesse Green from Harcourt in Boone County, has introduced Senate Study Bill 3131. The changes are pretty simple—it changes the phrase of existing law from “shall levy a tax of…” to “may levy a tax of…”.
This could end public funding of libraries in an unknown number of communities, as Republicans have been working to cut taxes to the bone to undermine all aspects of government with the possible exception of the military since 1981 and the presidency of Ronald Reagan.
The bill also allows a city to remove the power of an independent library board. I’ll speak openly here as a former member of the Knoxville, Iowa Library Board (12 years?), and share that during my entire tenure on the board, all members of the board were advocates of the library and its patrons. So were the city council and mayors. However, one funding source was the county board of supervisors. One year as they considered library funding, a member of the board and a friend, expressed such deep ignorance of the role modern libraries play in society it sounded like he hasn’t been in a library for 50 years. Another expressed the opinion that perhaps we didn’t need libraries anymore as we have the internet now. Neither has any idea of the role or importance of libraries today, which is part of the reason we need independent board members as advocates. Thankfully, one supervisor did know. Regardless, we can’t trust elected officials to necessarily do what is best for our libraries and our communities, given the Republican tax-cutting fever. It’s difficult for librarians to advocate against a hostile board or city council, as they can and have lost their jobs. They need board members to advocate.
Back in the old days, Republicans used to tell me that some bills were pure craziness and that they would never pass a floor vote, and not to worry about them. They would laugh them off. I believed them then. No more. No matter how crazy the proposed legislation is, no matter how hurtful it is to Iowans, it may pass. Take, for example, school vouchers. It took years, but eventually passed. Public dollars for private schools, a handout to the wealthy, no accountability and our public schools are having budget cuts as a result.
Go figure.
There is not such a cradle of democracy upon the earth as the Free Public Library, this republic of letters, where neither rank, office, nor wealth receives the slightest consideration—Andrew Carnegie.
I love the poorly educated—Donald Trump.
I was in Oskaloosa Saturday working at Smokey Row when I learned that librarians and allies from across the state are gathering at the statehouse tomorrow to advocate for our libraries and against the proposed legislation.
Look closely at the door in the photo above, and you see the word “free.” The free Oskaloosa Public Library. Republicans will say, nothing is free, but for every person who enters the library, it’s free. That’s good. Those of us who are fortunate enough to own property, pay.
Hey, Republicans—THIS IS FOR THE COMMON GOOD. Remember when you used to care about that?
Above is an old photo, and a not-very-good one. But, if you look closely to the lower left, that’s my daughter and son racing ahead of me to enter the Knoxville Public Library when they were little kids. The librarians helped raise and educate them and countless others. They are now successfully making their way in the world, and are better off because of the guidance of the librarians they grew up with. When they come home for a visit, they still stop by the library, and are greeted with smiles, hugs, and sometimes tears of joy.
I’m forever grateful to these librarians, and to others across our great state and nation who do the same. And the world.
Books, a rainbow, and love. Time for the Republican outrage machine to engage. Can’t have that. Ban books they don’t like, no inclusiveness, and no love they don’t approve of.
And look at this subversive bulletin board! Helping lower income people figure out their income tax! For free? Outrageous. And a World Fest! An artist whose music fuses the “influence of Arabic music, flamenco, jazz, bossa, and pop?” Lyrics in Arabic, Spanish, and English! Honoring other cultures? Can’t have that. A game night for kids, reading, and education? All suspect to many Republicans today.
Would our governor and Republican legislature approve? Who knows?
This isn’t hyperbole. Republicans have jumped the shark.
Here is how the Iowa Library Association advises us to proceed:
Many of Iowa's small and rural libraries are likely to close if SSB 3131 is passed.
THINGS WE CAN DO TO SAVE OUR LIBRARIES:
1. Share this information with your family, friends, library boards, city councils, and local media:
https://www.iowalibraryassociation.org/advocacy
2. Edit the statement and send it as a letter to the editor in your own words to your local paper.
3. Come to the Iowa State Capitol this Monday, February 5 at 2pm and Tuesday, February 15 at 11am to Room G17.
**Bring signs, your friends, and your talking points.**
4. Get the word out on social media and encourage others to share.
5. Please call, email, and write your representatives today to stop this legislative overreach shadowing our libraries.
6. Share your public comments with the Bill Committee:
https://www.legis.iowa.gov/commit.../meetingPublicComment...
8. Share your stories along the way! Play some "joyful offense" by sharing the good news about libraries and the impact they have in your life!
9. Ask your friends, communities, affinity groups, and allies to do all the above too!
With SSB 3131, Iowans will lose their guaranteed funding sources. Iowans will lose access to free public service from appointed board members. Iowans will lose local control of their libraries.
They also say:
Public Library Board of Trustees provide focus, transparency, and broader representation to the process. With SSB 3131,Iowans will immediately lose their library levy dollars. Iowans will lose access to free public service from appointed board members. Iowans will lose local control of their libraries. Please call, email, and write your representatives today to stop this legislative overreach shadowing our libraries. https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook...
I’ve can only find one media report on this, from Mason City’s KAAL-TV.
Please consider following the advice of the Iowa Library Association to help save our libraries.
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I often wonder if Iowa Republican legislators sit around at night, consider all social progress in society since the 17th Century, and then choose which item to next scheme to reverse. On second thought, the scheming likely comes from one of the national billionaire financed “think tanks.” I hesitate to attribute an original thought to any of the Iowa Republican legislators.
Thank you thank you thank you, Bob. I received this information from a librarian friend yesterday. I was simply aghast. Like Scott, above, I think it seems like Republicans sit rubbing their hands together, wondering what horror they might inflict upon us next.
When I was a child we had a library bookmobile come to the corner down the street. I would go with eager anticipation every week to return the books I’d read and find new ones. My children went to story hours and spent hours in libraries as they went through school. My grandchildren are doing the same. We thought libraries were permanent. Sacrosanct. The Republicans have shown us that there is NOTHING they are not willing to destroy. We need to band together. As Martin Luther King said, silence is consent.
Thank you for your voice.