Cherrydale Branch Library

Serving North Arlington since 1922

*********************************************************************************************

Candidates Lane and Zimmerman Discuss Cherrydale Library

On October 19, 1998, the Citizens for Cherrydale Library (CCL), through neighborhood volunteer Michael Gessel, contacted Mike Lane and Chris Zimmerman--each a candidate for the County Board--to elicit their written views about library funding, neighborhood libraries, and Cherrydale Library in particular. The CCL asked each candidate the same three questions and asked that they respond by October 26. The CCL promised each candidate that his answers would be posted on the Cherrydale Library web site and mailed to the 600-plus citizens who signed the petition during February-April 1998 to keep Cherrydale Library open.

Both candidates responded. Their answers to the three questions appear below.

========

Here are Mike Lane's answers to the CCL's questions:

========

1. Do you support maintaining the current funding level of the Arlington County Department of Libraries?

2. What are your views on concentrating the County's library system in a smaller number of locations as opposed to maintaining the network of neighborhood libraries?

3. As a member of the County Board, will you oppose plans to close Cherrydale Library?

I have no immediate plans to close the Cherrydale Library or to cut the overall library budget. However, Arlington County is behind in making plans for the library of the new millennium. The information services industry, particularly the delivery of information to the consumer, has changed radically in recent years, and the pace of that change is accelerating. It is well within the scope of reality to envision a future where the vast majority of library services will be provided in a virtual environment. Every Internet access platform will become a branch library.

Over time, the branch library system may cease to exist, as we know it. Information will be delivered online to consumers in their homes or offices. The price of computers will fall to the point where people who don't have immediate access to computers will be the exception. Those citizens who do not own computers will have access through community centers, schools, or other public access.

The need for repositories for original works - hard copies of books, original manuscripts, etc. - will continue, although the volume of actual use of these mediums will decrease dramatically. These repositories will by definition be centralized.

Other traditional library programs such as child reading programs will also continue. They may occur in libraries, community centers, schools, or some combination. The fact that the nature of libraries is changing does not diminish the need for many library programs to continue in a traditional manner.

Because no one can possibly predict the cost of developing the libraries of the new millennium, hard promises as to future funding would be irresponsible. However, I am committed to developing a library system of the future that will meet the needs of the community.

========

Here are Chris Zimmerman's answers to the CCL's questions:

========

1. Do you support maintaining the current funding level of the Arlington County Department of Libraries?

I support maintaining the current service level of the Department of Libraries. All departments of government should constantly be looking for ways to deliver the same service for less money. Many Arlington County departments have been successful at doing so, and that's why we've been able to maintain our overall level of service, while reducing the County staff by over 2 percent in the last couple of fiscal years. Naturally, I expect the Library Department to be searching for responsible economies, too.

2. What are your views on concentrating the County's library system in a smaller number of locations as opposed to maintaining the network of neighborhood libraries?

I believe that branch libraries are an important part of Arlington's quality of life. More specifically, they play an important role in the quality of neighborhood life, allowing us to bring key services to people close to where they live. And, libraries are in many ways one of the most universal services local government provides to residents. Everyone benefits from them. In adopting the long range capital plan ("Vision 2020"), and the subsequent capital budgets the last two years, the Board has already made a commitment to the branch libraries. These capital plans include the systematic renovation of our branch libraries. As part of that plan, the Board placed a library bond on next week's ballot, for the renovation of the Westover and Shirlington branches. (I voted for all of these measures, so my commitment is clear. I would note that my opponent has not made the same commitment. In fact, he has repeatedly called into question the library bond, suggesting that perhaps we should be choosing among the libraries.) Furthermore, that commitment was reaffirmed by this past year's budget process. The option of closing one or more branches was thoroughly discussed, considered, and rejected by the Board. At the conclusion of the process, I made clear my view that this question should be regarded as settled, not just for this year, but for some time. Therefore, I would consider it inappropriate for it to be raised in any way in the next budget proposal put forward by the County Manager.

3. As a member of the County Board, will you oppose plans to close Cherrydale Library?

I have already faced this question three times (for the budgets of FY 97, 98, and 99), and all three times I have opposed the closing of Cherrydale and other branch libraries. I see no reason to change my view, and as I noted above, I expect not to see it in the next budget proposal put forward by the Manager.



_____________________
This site is maintained by Citizens for Cherrydale Library, a group of citizen volunteers seeking since 1998 to promote and preserve our most important neighborhood institution. Contact us at suza1@comcast.net with any questions or comments.