Library’s new plans had been done in past

In response to the Dec. 4 Gazette article “New library plan looks beyond the rebuilding:”

I applaud the tenacity of the Cedar Rapids library staff in efforts to bring an excellent community resource to this area after losing its main facility to the flood. I further commend the new leadership in looking to increase circulation.

Another of their ambitions is to have “local groups fill the library's meeting rooms, display public art and bring live music into the building” and “beef up the library's marketing efforts.” It wasn't long ago all these things were being done. There was progressive programming, community outreach, organization collaborations, traveling exhibits, public art on display and live music filtering through it.

Program attendance and community collaborations (from aggressive marketing) reached its highest count ever by the spring of 2007. Programming statistics from 2002 through 2007 validate these facts.

Then library and city leadership decided to reorganize and layoffs began. One laid-off employee in particular had much to do with the development and success the library was achieving. Since that layoff, there haven't been many creative or new ideas for programming, outreach or marketing, but much of what was done during the years 2002-07 has been repeated.

Although the library board may look upon the new director's proposals as “fabulous stuff,” it's nothing that hasn't already been done. Maybe the city manager should have been more assertive during the first round of city layoffs when less than one year later (spring of 2008) the library director was mysteriously relieved of her duties. Makes you wonder what was really going on.

Nancy Olinger

Springville