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AIR DATE: April 18, 2012
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The Clark County Library System is hurting financially. The library trustees have to adjust rental rates for some of their open space like the theater in the Summerlin library to make up lost revenue. That has some local groups upset, saying that the rate increases are too high. How do public libraries use their public space? Should libraries just take the loss as long as they provide the space for the community?
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Ms Dahl, it seems that you miss the point...The performing arts centers have ALREADY been built with tax dollars as part of the library system. Should they be left empty? Why were they built in the first place? Obviously someone felt they were an asset to the community, or they would not be there now. And contrary to your comments, there are parts of this community that do support the performing arts, as is evidenced by the number of patrons that have supported these production companies over the years. You refer to "Ms. Riedy's group" and ignore all of the other organizations that are impacted by this change. In the end, it is not about any specific production group, but really about the impact on the community. And, the last time I checked, libraries were a community service, NOT a business. I am not being naive here, since I understand that community services have a budget that they must adhere to. It would be interesting to know what percentage of the library districts budget is impacted by the performing arts centers. It would also be interesting to see if Ms. Riedy's comments regarding the flaws in the financial analysis are correct. Perhaps that should be explored.
Earl –
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Perhaps I should have also mentioned that I have my BA in Theatre, and have almost as many years working in active, well supported community theatres as a volunteer. Trust me, I can see the point of view of the people involved in the arts. However, for too long Libraries, as well as far to many other "Community Services" have not been viewed as a business by our public. If we don't run our Libraries as businesses, they won't last at all. The Las Vegas Clark County Library District is a business. It isn't all about little ladies with our hair in buns being nice. Theatre groups and other arts groups are also businesses. Supporting the arts? Is that why the local art museum had to shut its doors?
Lynn Schofield-Dahl –
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Libraries used to be about providing books, magazines and information. Then we added music....in various and ever changing formats. Then Movies...and I'm talking 16mm film and other formats long before Videos and DVDs. Now it is computers and computer instruction and ebooks and audiobooks and storytimes and in house programs and literacy instruction and homework help and day care and delivery service for the home-bound, and free Wireless as well as free electricity to plug in their lap-tops and cell phones...and the public expects all of this to be provided for free...but libraries have to pay for these things and the money for that has to come from somewhere. Trust me, the tax income just doesn't stretch that far any longer. So I, in turn, have to make decisions on how to make the best use of those tax dollars. I choose to trim back on services that are used the least so as to cause the least impact on my users. Passing the expense on to the users isn't all that uncommon. You pay to make photocopies and computer print-outs. People who have overdue materials or who damage materials are expected to pay for them. Why not for meeting/theatre spaces as well?
Lynn Schofield-Dahl –
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It's a shame that the Boulder City Library doesn't offer theatrical venues for it's patrons. Like any service that any PUBLIC library offers, the theaters should be treated the same way. If tax dollars pay for 100% of the books, story times, or DVD's, the theaters are deserving of being even partially subsidized by both user groups and library. These venues bring in thousands of patrons that might never step foot into a library. Ms. Dahl, you do not know what you are talking about. Public libraries are not a business.
Emorej –
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Ok, I realize I'm sounding like a real witch here, and that I resent my patrons, and that isn't true at all. I LOVE my job. In fact, I'm passionate about doing my job well. If I didn't love what I do, I wouldn't have stayed in the business for so long. I also know how it pains me to have to cut a service due to budget restrictions. I'll do everything I can to save a service before I cut it, and that includes making the painful decision to pass the cost of that service along to the people who use it. Do you have the figures of how much it costs to open and run a theatre facility for an hour with all utilities operational? And how much it costs to maintain that facility? And the expense of the staff needed to run that facility because not just anyone can run a light board and a soundboard? How about the cost of securing and insuring the facility? Oh...and then there are little expenses that add up like providing toilet paper and papertowels in the restroom. All of those expenses and more must be considered as a lump sum. Many of those expenses must be paid even for the days the facilities are not in use, so you spread those expenses out among all the users. It isn't simple
Lynn Schofield-Dahl –
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This "new reality" has been here for quite some time. During this time, the library district has continued to use our dwindling tax dollars to build new facilities WITH performing arts centers. If there was no intention to make them accessible for the use of the community that they serve, why were they built? The "audience" of these non-profit groups have no alternative here for affordable programs. They are the ones who will no longer be served based on the actions of the library district, and they are the ones who funded the construction of these performing arts centers. Makes no sense to me...
Earl –
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I'm honestly making this suggestion as a way of tying to help. Have you considered some of the other fine stage facilities that are available in the area? One example is the Community Center at McDonald Ranch in Henderson. I know they make their facilities available to outside performance groups because the Theatre In the Valley used to perform on their stage and is also offers a more intimate setting. Their prices may be more reasonable for your group.
Lynn Schofield-Dahl –
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Why should the tax payers subsidize certain theater groups in this town while others, who are non-profit, pay for other venues besides the library? What makes Broadway Bound so special over other children's theaters in this town?
scott –
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This is not just about Broadway Bound. This pricing decision affects multiple other organizations including, but not limited to, Drama Kids, Signature Productions, James Seastrand Helping Hands, Clark County Children's Choir, The Austin Dancers Academy, Trudy Marshall-Piano Teacher, Las Vegas Belly Dance Intensive, Las Vegas Gamble-aires and Las Vegas Highland Dance Association. Some Community Theater organizations are fortunate to own their own venue from generous funding, but most "up and coming" performing arts organizations are not. Other organizations receive funding by the City of Las Vegas, such as Rainbow Company. What makes Broadway Bound unique is that it produces full-scale high quality multi-show musical productions staring only children. If you've seen a Broadway Bound, such as Wizard of Oz, you would understand why it is unique.
Marci Riedy –
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When asked to sign your petition I refused on the basis that when I asked the person back which programs should be cut from the library to fund the theaters they could not answer. The money is not longer there. Community theater thrives around the country without the benefit of library theaters, huge light set ups, cordless mics, and background tracks. 18 years without an rate increase? You should be thankful it has gone on that long. Learn to live in the new economic reality and show the kids you don't need all the bells and whistles to still do theater. BTW I have seen a few of your shows..and THERE ARE other non-profit children's theaters in this town that do just as well with less (bedsides Rainbow)..perhaps you should take a page from their books.
scott –
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I would be willing to bet that more people borrow DVDs from the public library than use the meeting facilities. As someone running a business, where do you put the money? One way or another, there will be costs involved involved in providing services such as the meeting facilities. Either the Library will seek to increase their overall tax rates across the board, or they will charges for the use of those facilities. Personally, I think that perhaps the expense of using those facilities should be charged to the people/organizations who use them.
Lynn Schofield-Dahl –
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