HB2033: Dangerous for Washington State Library and Blind/Disabled Populations

In the interest of full disclosure, let me start by saying that I
am an employee of the Office of the Secretary of State, Washington
State Library Division, Washington Talking Book & Braille Library.
This is written on my own time, at home, on my personal computer and
internet connection...The views are my own and do not necessarily
reflect those of OSOS.

In addition to working for the library, I'm also blind, and have
been since birth. Therefore, I benefit greatly from the services
provided by my own library, and have benefited from said services
while living in Arizona and Oregon, so I know the value of the service
we provide...Probably moreso than most of the state House members in
Olympia.

Today, we were informed about House Bill HB2033, which creates a
new Department of Heritage, Arts, and Culture. In an effor to
consolidate, the House wants to combine several divisions which it
apparently sees as similar, and i turn, from what was explained to
several of us, slash the various agencies' budgets by 20%. The
following is an email sent to us by Interim State Librarian Rand
Simmons. For the record, I have not spoken with Dr. Simmons in order
to request permission to re-post this email, but as it was sent via
state email, and contains strictly informational items, I hope this
will serve the purpose for which I intend it.

There is a bill now in the House (HB 2033) that would take the
State Library and the Legacy Project (oral history) out of the
Secretary of State’s office and place it in a combined Department of
Heritage, Arts and Culture (HAC), along with the two Historical
Societies, the Arts Commission, the Department of Archaeology and
Historic Preservation, the Tourism Board, and the Film Board. This
would also reduce the Library’s budget by 20%.

The bill also would switch the Heritage Center Fund to the
proposed Department of HAC along with the fund-raising capacity of the
State Library and the Legacy Project.

The Office of the Secretary of State is opposed to the bill. The
State Library has found a champion in the Secretary of State and we
see no compelling reason to move these programs to another agency.

There is concern that some parts of the State Library’s mission may
not be a good fit under the Heritage, Arts and Culture umbrella:

• · The State Library has an important role in the
  preservation of the record of state government through the state
  publications depository function, which requires close cooperation
  with the Digital Archives for the preservation of state publications
  in digital formats.
  
  
• · The State Library serves as the only regional federal
  depository library, ensuring that Washington residents have access to
  the records and research of the federal government.
  
  
• · The Library serves visually-impaired,
  physically-handicapped and learning disabled persons across the state
  through the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library through digital
  audiobooks, Braille, large-print books and a radio reading service.
  
  
• · There are State Library branches in the state
  psychiatric hospitals and the larger correctional centers, offering
  educational and recreational materials to support re-entry
  initiatives and treatment plans for residents;
  
  
• · The State Library works with public, school and academic
  libraries across the state, using federal funds to strengthen their
  services to their communities. This includes projects as diverse as
  collaborating on a broadband grant with NoaNet, organizing group
  purchases for libraries, and facilitating the E-rate application for
  libraries.
  
  
• · The State Library is actively involved in the statewide
  Early Learning movement and is a member of the Early Learning Public
  Library Partnership.

The bill, in its entirety, may be found Here

Rand states the crux of the concerns for the library division quite
well. There is also concern that the bill may include language to try
to move all of the services to Tumwater...This won't work for the
Washington Talking Book & Braille Library, as was determined a few
years ago when administration of the agency was movved from the City
of Seattle into the Office of the Secretary of State. We have far too
many volunteer programs, which account for a great deal of the work
that is done by the library...Most of those volunteers are in Seattle.
Also, many of our staff have specialized, hard-to-replace talents.
Moving to Tumwater would make continuing to work for the library
prohibitive for those who can't make a move with the library.

Second, there is some concern that this will have a negative effect
on prison libraries. I know some of you are saying "They're in
prison...They don't deserve libraries." Personally, I'd rather have
them spending their time reading than getting into more trouble.

In the end, for those of you here in Washington, particularly those
who utilize the services of the Washington Talking Book & Braille
Library, use another part of the state library, or no someone who
does, I ask that you look this bill over. Contact your legislators,
and either request the bill not be passed, or that the Washington
State Library be removed from the contents of this ill-conceived plan.

For anyone who knows me, you know I'm for smaller government, and
less government spending. However, I don't see how this particular
bill achieves that without worsening the unemployment problem in our
state, and obstructing services to the elderly, disabled, and other
vulnerable populations. HB2033 is, as a colleague of mine with whom I
rarely agree on anything put it, simply a shuffling of the deck chairs
on the Titanic...Things are getting moved, but they don't seem to
notice the ship's stil sinking. Tell the folks in Olympia to wake up,
and come up with some real solutions.