County residents are invited to read “Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives and on the Health of Our Nation” by Linda Villarosa.

The purpose of the shared book read is to engage Chautauqua County residents, businesses, nonprofits and organizations to help heal  divides and propel participants to be engaged citizens working towards a more inclusive and just society.

Each participant is also encouraged to attend one book discussion group between April 17 and 28, 2023. In-person and online book discussion groups will be offered.

To register for a book discussion, visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_fNuj5EcsSwIutCnkVacD03U19GS-jvnwk9-rJupqF1-55A/viewform

Additionally, participants are invited to attend a live lecture at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, July 20 with the author, Linda Villarosa, at the Hall of Philosophy on the Chautauqua Institution grounds.
This day has been designated as “Chautauqua County Day” at the Institution, and all Chautauqua County residents are eligible for free admission and parking.

Tickets for this day will be available beginning June 1 by calling the Chautauqua Institution Ticket Office at 716-357-6250. Free parking is only available with ticket orders made by July 11. This offer may not be combined with a long-term ticket.

For more information on “Chautauqua County Day,” visit: chqcounty.chq.org

While participants are encouraged to purchase their own copy of the book, the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System has a limited amount of the title to borrow as well.

More information on the times and locations of the book discussions is available via the registration link and at https://www.ywcajamestown.com/chqbookread

We spoke with the Chautauqua Cattaraugus Library System Executive Director Janice Dekoff about proposed cuts to libraries in the state budget.

Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System Executive Director Janice Dekoff said the current year’s budget had included a $5 million increase in aid for a total of $104.6 million and this would be a set-back.

She said library officials were surprised to see this cut by Governor Kathy Hochul, “Since she’s been very supportive of us. And knowing that there has been a surplus in New York State of $8.7 billion, to talk about a $3.5 million cut from where we currently are seems like such a small thing.”

Dekoff said the libraries’ delivery service, which provides delivery of books and materials between the 36 libraries in the system, could be impacted by this cut, “It makes funding go further for all of our libraries. We have libraries whose entire book budget is less than $5,000, sometimes much less, and they can’t afford to buy all of the books that they would want to do. So by having that delivery service and that connection with the other libraries what they’re able to offer their community has grown exponentially from what they have.”

Dekoff said the cut in construction funding will make it harder to make needed upgrades to old facilities, “They’re looking at libraries that are, on average, 80 years old plus. And getting those buildings to be ADA compliant, energy efficient, safe for the public, you know we have libraries that struggle tremendously. They have these old, wonderful buildings but with those old, wonderful buildings come a lot of expenses.”

Dekoff said she would be joining other library officials in Albany this next week to meet with State Senators and Assembly representatives to advocate for funding to be restored.

This free program, that begins June 1, encourages community members in both counties to visit as many libraries as they can during the summer.

Starting June 1 and running through August, people can pick up a free passport and map of all the libraries from any of the libraries in the CCLS system. When you visit a library, you can get a stamp in the passport book, and there will be prizes for reaching a certain number of stops.

For more information, visit www.cclsny.org/roadtrip

The book “Caste: The Origins of our Discontent” by Isabel Wilkerson has been chosen for the community read.

Chautauqua Institution’s Senior Vice President & Chief Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Officer Amit Taneja said community groups have been working on how to engage more people in Chautauqua County in creating a more inclusive and just society.

He said YWCA Executive Director Amanda Gesing reached out to the Institution after she learned that they would be hosting author Isabel Wilkerson this summer, “And so she reached out to me and said, ‘Hey, can we collaborate on this?’ and I said, ‘Great!’ because I had been thinking about how do we get everybody in Chautauqua involved and so that was sort of the birth of that program idea that everybody in Chautauqua County is reading the same book, focused on issues of justice and inclusion. And hopefully it sparks a lot of good conversation in the community.”

Taneja said the book touches on a lot of topics that society is struggling with and the hope is that the book discussions would give space to talk about things that are difficult, “Cause a lot of times I think fear of disagreement or opposition keeps us from talking about difficult things when really if we want to move the needle forward we need to come together in the spirit of mutual understanding even if we disagree on a few things so that’s kind of the hope out of this and this book gives us the tools to do that.”

Taneja said the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System has copies of Wilkerson’s book available for those interested in taking part. People who are interested in participating in a group discussion, whether in person or online, can register at https://www.ywcajamestown.com/chqbookread. The discussions will be scheduled for May 16 through 27.

Also, Chautauqua Institution is holding a “Chautauqua County Day” on Thursday, July 21 where county residents are eligible for free admission and parking in order to attend the live lecture by author Isabel Wilkerson. That lecture will take place at 10:45 a.m. at the Amphitheater on the Chautauqua Institution grounds. Tickets for this day will be available beginning June 1 by calling the Chautauqua Institution Ticket Office at 716-357-6250. Free parking is only available with ticket orders made by July 11.

Prendergast Library Staff promote Murray L. Bob Education Initiative

The first event of a new education initiative at the James Prendergast Library starts this afternoon.

The library recently announced the creation of the Murray L. Bob Education Initiative. The program named in honor of the former long-time director of the Prendergast Library and the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System is designed to bring community organizations to the library to provide educational classes and programs.

The first event is the Audubon‘s “Rebel Nature Journal” class, which takes place today from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. Participants will receive a copy of the “Rebel Nature Journal” created by Audubon staff members Katie Finch and Kimberly Turner. The journal encourages users to slow down and build a stronger connection with the outside world. The event is free.

To hear more about the Murray Bob Education Initiative and other upcoming events at the Prendergast Library, tune to Community Matters tonight at 5:00 p.m. on WRFA.

The James Prendergast Library

JAMESTOWN – The James Prendergast Library will see it’s state aid reduced by $16,500.

That’s according to the Jamestown Post-Journal, which says the financially strapped library found out on Friday that state officials that aid has been cut by 25 percent.  Library Director Tina Scott said the reduction in state aid is a direct result of the city of Jamestown cutting the Library’s funding by more than 5 percent in a two-year period.

For its $818,000 2019 budget, the library has projected it would receive $77,400 in state aid.  The $16,500 cut by the state represents a 2 percent loss in total revenue.

• RELATED: WRFA May 2019 Interview with Tina Scott and Joni Blackman

In addition, funding for nonfiction and reference materials for the entire Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System will also receive a 25% reduction. the system receives around $45,000 for nonfiction and reference materials, but that will be reduced by $11,250 for this year.

This year’s big read book is “The Round House” by Louise Erdrich.

A kickoff event, featuring a community public keynote and celebration of Native American Culture, will take place Wednesday, March 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Seneca-Allegany Casino & Resort Events Center in Salamanca.

The event will feature Liselotte Erdrich, author, educator and sister of acclaimed author, Louise Erdrich.

There will also be traditional Seneca Nation dance and song, as well as a buffet dinner, including some Seneca delicacies. The event is free and open to the public on a first come, first serve basis for the first 200 guests.

The NEA Big Read in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus Counties is presented in partnership with all 36 member public and association libraries, SUNY College at Fredonia, SUNY Jamestown Community College, St. Bonaventure University, Erie 2 Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES & Cattaraugus-Allegany BOCES.

For more information on this event and the 2018 Big Read, visit www.libraries.cc.

James Prendergast Library Executive Director Tina Scott (far right) meets with the Jamestown City Council during its Nov. 15 budget work session to discuss the implications a 70 percent funding cut would have on the library.

JAMESTOWN – The James Prendergast Library will be in financial dire straits if the city were to move forward and cut 70 percent of its funding for next year.

That’s according to Library Executive Director Tina Scott, who met with Jamestown City Council members Monday night during a works session for the 2017 city budget.

According to Scott, nearly a third of the library’s annual operating budget comes from the city of Jamestown through an annual payment. However, the city is facing a major budget deficit next year and as a result, it is proposing a 70 percent cut in funding – which equates to $250,000.

Scott told city lawmakers that if they were to go forward with that type of a cut, it would result in domino effect of funding cuts that would further impact the library, and would also reverberate through the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System.

“When we are cut more than five percent over two years, the whole library system is in danger of [seeing state funding] cut by 25 percent. That would result in $237,847 in state aid being cut for the system, which serves 36 libraries within the two counties. Because Prendergast is a central library, we split the central library funding with Olean, but we get two-thirds and they get a third, so that would be loss of $27,000 between us – or $18,000 for us and $9,000 for Olean.”

Scott also said that in addition to the library system losing state funding because of the cut, the problem would be compounded because the Prendergast could lose central library status because it would likely have to cut several key services, including staying open 55 hours each week, providing adequate reading material, and offering on-site computer and internet service.

James Prendergast Library Executive Director Tina Scott (head of table) meets with the Jamestown City Council during its Nov. 15 budget work session.

“If we can’t meet those needs, then we can’t have central library status,” Scott told the city council. “And what we’ve discovered this week is that we thought that [staying open] 55 hours a week was necessary just because we are a central library, but it’s not. We also have to be open 55 hours a week because of the size of the city we are in. If we were to lose central library status, we’d lose about $75,000 in central library aid. So we would lose that money and we could – over the years if this goes forward – keep taking money from our endowment and it reduces to nothing, we’ll be a very, very small library.”

So if the city were to cut funding by $250,000, Scott says the actual impact it would have is closer to $343,000.

LIBRARY ALREADY PURSING CUTS TO BALANCE ITS OWN BUDGET

Scott said the library has already made cuts to its budget for next year, including having three top-level employees take early retirement. She said that the board is still weighing its option about selling its art collection – although that money would likely go into the library’s endowment and would provide long-term support that is needed to have the library continue to operate at its current level.

Following her presentation, the city council asked if there were other fund raising possibilities for the library to pursue to offset the loss form the city, and Scott said they were continuing to work on those kinds of ideas. She said a couple of public input sessions are also planned later this month to allow the public an opportunity to help with the library’s strategic plan.

Following the discussion, City Council member and Finance Committee Chair Tony Dolce said that it’s not likely the city council will be able to restore any of the funding to the library, as it continues to look for ways to close its own operating deficit for next year.

So far, the city council has identified about $53,000 in savings to the proposed $35 million budget for next year, but that comes no where near the amount needed to close an $879,000 deficit.

The city council will act on the 2016 budget on Monday, Nov. 28. A final budget meeting is set to take place that same night, starting at 6:30 p.m. the council will vote on the budget during its 7:30 voting session that same night.

American Library Association President Sari Feldman talks about the future of libraries in the 21st century during a presentation Tuesday night at the Prendergast Library in Jamestown, NY.

JAMESTOWN – If a library wants to flourish in the 21^st century, it needs to transform the way it interacts with its community.

That was the message Tuesday night from Sari Feldman, president of the American Library Association, who was the featured speakers for the 11^th annual Murray L. Bob Memorial Lecture at the James Prendergast Library.

Feldman spent an hour talking about why and how libraries should transform in the 21^st century, saying it’s less about what libraries have and more about what they do – adding that libraries today need to show the public that they provide valuable services.

“We have to demonstrate that libraries are neither obsolete or simply nice to have,” Feldman said. “We have to demonstrate that libraries are essential. We are essential to education, employment, entrepreneurship, to engagement, and to empowerment. Libraries advance individual opportunity and community progress.”

Feldman also said that there are a number of trends in society that libraries need to be aware of if they want to still be relevant. She said some trends to latch onto are introducing and teaching new technologies, hi-speed digital access, online privacy education, and providing access to large amounts of data. By taking advantage of these trends, libraries can create new services for their community that can result in bringing in and helping a larger number of people.

She also talked about the need for libraries and their communities to be willing to change with the times, saying that they do a disservice to their members when they try to fight change.

“We have to demonstrate that libraries are essential. We are essential to education, employment, entrepreneurship, to engagement, and to empowerment. Libraries advance individual opportunity and community progress,” said American Library Association president Sari Feldman.

“We do ourselves a disservice when we look at libraries as nostalgic throwbacks… as places that should fight change instead of embracing it,” Feldman said. “We appreciate and we recognize the sentimental feelings that libraries have, but we also have to move boldly into the future. The notion that we have to revere only what was, instead of exploring and embracing what might be is nothing short of dangerous to the sustainability of libraries.”

Feldman also answered several questions afterward from the audience, including those that involve fundraising. She said that one of the best ways to make a library self-sustaining is through a library district, which is common in Ohio where she currently resides and works.

Feldman said the American Library Association will be launching a Libraries Transform Campaign later this month in Washington, to raise awareness about the need to transform as well as provide resources to make it possible for libraries across the country.

About 35 people were in attendance for the presentation, including library officials from throughout the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System, along with Jamestown City Council President Greg Rabb.

PRENDERGAST INVITES PUBLIC TO HELP PLAN FOR FUTURE

Residents who want to take a more active role in the direction of the Jamestown’s own Prendergast library may want to attend a couple of meetings in the next few days.

The library board of trustees will hold its monthly voting session Thursday, Oct. 22 at 12:15. During the meeting the board will not only discuss the 2016 budget, but also continue the discussion on what to do with the library’s art collection. The board is considering the possibility of auctioning off a portion of the collection in order to help bring in more annual revenue.

The library will also hold a fundraising meeting at 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27. That meeting will discuss ideas proposed recently at a public forum and responses to a follow-up survey.

Both meetings are in the library’s fireplace room and are open to the public.