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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I think before we all start rending our
garments over SNA's destruction of PPL, check out the OpEd in yesterday's
ProJo cited by Duane Clinker. I've attached a link, in case anyone's
interested:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="http://www.projo.com/opinion/contributors/content/CT_kushner28_03-28-07_Q94VFQI.1e84bff.html">http://www.projo.com/opinion/contributors/content/CT_kushner28_03-28-07_Q94VFQI.1e84bff.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>It's authored by Linda Kushner and Patricia
Raub. Ms. Kushner is a former Rhode Island state legislator,
past president of the Friends of Rochambeau, and a founding member of the
Library Reform Group. Ms. Raub is a professor of English at PC and
the chairwoman of the Library Reform Group.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>While Maurice Methot (the author of the Letter to
the Editor in April's East Side Monthly) is doubtless a valuable member of the
community, his pretense that he is somehow more
concerned about the fate of PPL than SNA is profoundly
insulting. Nowhere in yesterday's OpEd is any mention of
the recent conflict over the zoning variance and signage at Rochambeau,
because it's ultimately negligable when compared with PPL's $14 million
dollar restricted endowment and investments worth $35 million.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Here's another link to a letter sent to the
Rhode Island Policy Reporter by Ellen Schwartz, a CPA who lives in
Washington Park and investigated the library's finances last year:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="http://whatcheer.net/index.cgi/y6/my/library-ellen.html?seemore=y">http://whatcheer.net/index.cgi/y6/my/library-ellen.html?seemore=y</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>She makes that point that, as of 2006, the library
was sitting on $20 M of savings, hardly an indicator of fiscal
crisis. Moreover, she reveals that PPL has set up the Providence
Public Library Foundation, a separate nonprofit not required to comply
with open meeting laws.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>All annual campaign donations now
get funneled through this foundation and its own board of directors, which is
separate from PPL's board. This shadow foundation seems to exist
purely to hide millions of dollars of annual donations from public
scrutiny. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>While I've thrown myself off SNA's editorial
board, I'd be happy to get back on for this issue alone. I believe
it's critical that SNA respond to Mr. Methot's letter in the May East Side
Monthly with facts, and not hysteria. Is that in the cards?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Carol C.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=jennifer@luxmoore.com href="mailto:jennifer@luxmoore.com">Jennifer
Luxmoore</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=gerritt@mindspring.com
href="mailto:gerritt@mindspring.com">Greg Gerritt</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Cc:</B> <A title=Summit@sna.providence.ri.us
href="mailto:Summit@sna.providence.ri.us">Summit Neighborhood</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, March 29, 2007 8:51
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Summit] FW: save the
library</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>I won't pretend to be up on the whole situation, but I just
read the East Side Monthly letter to the editor... it seems that because
people were upset about a sign, that the library had to let go of a sizable
donation. (Again not that everybody was open about the amount of donation or
picture of the sign, but...) It looks like you may have to choose your
battles... save the libraries or deal with a sign.... <BR>
<DIV><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
style="WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BORDER-COLLAPSE: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; orphans: 2; widows: 2">
<DIV>Jennifer Luxmoore</DIV>
<DIV><A href="mailto:jennifer@luxmoore.com">jennifer@luxmoore.com</A></DIV>
<DIV><BR class=khtml-block-placeholder></DIV><BR
class=Apple-interchange-newline></SPAN></DIV><BR>
<DIV>
<DIV>On Mar 28, 2007, at 7:35 PM, Greg Gerritt wrote:</DIV><BR
class=Apple-interchange-newline>
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">------ Forwarded Message</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">From: <<A
href="mailto:curtinclinker@cox.net">curtinclinker@cox.net</A>></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2007 17:30:26 -0400</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">To:<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Subject: save the library</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">FRIENDS:<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">We in our churches and communities need to act to
insure present and future</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">generations in the city have access to high
quality, truly public libraries.</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">The Washington Park Branch of the Providence Public
Library (PPL) (a private</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">non-profit), has been closed to the community for
over two years now.<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space>
</SPAN>(With</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">over 34 million at its disposal, the PPL apparently
balked at repair of a</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">leaking roof for $100,000 or less.<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>It is clear now that many other
inner</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">city branches are threatened with reorganization
and closure.</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">For years now, various community organizations like
the Library Reform Group</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">(<A
href="http://www.libraryreformgroup.org">www.libraryreformgroup.org</A>),
Library AdvocatesCoalition, Not About the</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Buildings, Save Our Branches, and others, have been
doing the hard work of</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">research, education, and advocacy on this issue
with both the City and the</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Providence Public Library.<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>They have kept this issue alive
and brought it</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">repeatedly to public attention.<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>However,<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>we still have no resolution
to</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">this problem by the City and Library.</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">It is time to draw the line.<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>We must make sure that some
positive change</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">happens, before a decent public library system
becomes just a memory in the</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">city. <SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Three churches, The Open Table of Christ, UMC, St.
Michael’s Catholic</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Parish, and The Cathedral of Life are joining
forces with others in the</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">community in an effort to bring the City and the
Library together to</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">encourage a resolution which the community has been
demanding for so long.</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Our kids can’t wait.</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">The churches have requested separate public
meetings with both the Mayor of</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Providence and Dale Thompson, the Director of the
Library.</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">In the first of these two meetings, the Mayor has
agreed to meet with the</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">churches and the public, this coming Monday, April
2, at 5 pm at the Open</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Table of Christ at 1520 Broad St. at the
Providence/Cranston line.<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space>
</SPAN>The</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">churches are inviting the public.</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">It is a difficult time (at 5 pm), but it is such an
important cause.<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>With</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">your help we can move this issue and make something
happen.</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Please attend.<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>We need everyone's help.<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>Spread the word, and find
other</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">ways to support if possible, as we prayerfully, but
firmly, approach this</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">issue.</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Duane Clinker for</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">the Open Table of Christ</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">PS.<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space>
</SPAN>Check out <A
href="http://www.libraryreformgroup.org">www.libraryreformgroup.org</A> and
the great op-ed in the ProJo</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">of March 28 for more background on the issue
generally.</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">------ End of Forwarded Message</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0px">_______________________________________________</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Summit mailing list</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><A
href="mailto:Summit@sna.providence.ri.us">Summit@sna.providence.ri.us</A></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><A
href="http://mail.sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us">http://mail.sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us</A></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">SNA Website: <A
href="http://sna.providence.ri.us">http://sna.providence.ri.us</A>/</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR>
<P>
<HR>
<P></P>_______________________________________________<BR>Summit mailing
list<BR>Summit@sna.providence.ri.us<BR>http://mail.sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us<BR>SNA
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