Odds and Ends:
Save Ohio Libraries is the rallying cry as well as the focus of this week’s activities.
The Save Ohio Libraries Facebook page is rapidly approaching 12,000 members (and has gone from 11,543 to 11,768 as I have written this post). If you are a FB member, add to that number. Also, become a fan of Governor Ted Strickland and post a message on his board. As events around the world in recent months have shown, social networking has an impact, and one of the ways to have an impact is a large group of people all taking a step in the same direction.
Rallies are being planned in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Centerville, London, Portsmouth, and (just organized tonight) Columbus. If you can add a few bodies to the gatherings, do so!
One additional thought to add to this: this is growing beyond Ohio. There are many people from other states who are watching this with concern and support. The success or failure of these efforts (both the efforts to drastically reduce library funding to help balance the state’s budget, as well as our efforts to preserve library services) will make it easier/harder for other states to do the same. Broadcasting the understanding that cutting library services only hurts recovery efforts by the states will not only benefit libraries across the country, but will also benefit the overall economy.
Make yourself heard!
Someone suggested to me that after I joined Strickland’s facebook group and posted my message, I should than leave the group .. if all of us are joining to protest his cuts, he could look at the total number of “supporters” and conclude that he’s doing a great job!
I still go with what I wrote a couple of days ago: Criticism is best and most easily received from someone who is supportive. I think that remaining “supporters” until the Governor responds is the best approach.
If Strickland recognizes and responds to the strong message being sent, we should continue to support (and continue to offer valid criticism) him for listening and adapting to our stance.
Otherwise, yes, drop our support in a swift flurry of Facebook follow-up activity.