|
The news regarding the Bartlett branch library came as a bit of a surprise. The suburb is finally considering moving to private management. Coming about 20 years after the other suburbs made the same move. While Bartlett remained connected to the Memphis system. Bartlett’s decision was long enough ago that everything seemed fine with the arrangement. Until it wasn’t. Just like the other suburbs. Funding cuts and downgraded services from the then-Memphis-Shelby County Public Library and Information Center, led other suburbs, like Germantown and Collierville, to split from the larger countywide system, opting for a private management company. Arlington and Millington formed the Wolf River Consortium, a partnership for book borrowing between those two municipalities. The changes led to more direct oversight of the respective libraries by the suburbs rather than remaining a small part of the overall countywide system. But while everyone else brought management of the libraries under the local government, Bartlett remained part of the Memphis system. There were benefits. The advantage of using all of the branches in the Memphis system. Having access to all of the books across the Memphis outlets and having the management of the Bartlett library on Stage Road near Bartlett Boulevard left to someone else. But that help — based on the statements of Steve Sones, Bartlett’s chief administrative officer — has diminished. Sones said during a work session this week — covered by reporter Michael Waddell — that while Bartlett pays Memphis Public Libraries $94,000 annually to maintain its book collection, the suburb was not getting a full return on its investment. “Over the course of the last fiscal year, they were not able to deliver (and are) about $36,000 short, which means that’s not putting books on shelves,” Sones said. “At this point, it is not an issue that’s been remedied.” This sounds distinctly familiar to the situation that arose with the other suburbs in 2004. There are reasons, of course. The Memphis folks say there was staff turnover and other factors that led to Bartlett not getting their proper share. “We had a bottleneck of purchasing that resulted in a delay in material getting out to locations,” Chris Marszalek, MPL deputy director, told the Bartlett Board of Mayor and Aldermen. “We feel very confident that this issue will be solved over the next couple of months.” It appears that Bartlett’s patience is wearing thin. During the same meeting, Bartlett officials heard from representatives of Avenu Insights & Analytics about possibly managing the suburban branch. Avneu already acts as manager of the Germantown Community Library. “I’m disappointed in what MPL has done for Bartlett in comparison to what I see in Germantown,” Alderman Kevin Quinn said. “Avenu has so many programs for families as well as local citizen advisement as to what’s available in the inventory. They have tables of new books, while Bartlett’s new area is practically barren.” The Bartlett board is supposed to hold a public hearing and decide on the future of the library Jan. 9. And maybe after all of these years, it is time for the suburb to bring the branch under its government — or at least hire a management firm that city officials can oversee. Rather than depend on an entity that by its own name has its primary interest in Memphis. Not Bartlett. — Clay Bailey, Suburbs Editor
We hope you enjoy reading the latest news from our suburban reporters. If you’re a Daily Memphian subscriber, we appreciate your support. If not, consider signing up for unlimited access to all of our local news coverage.
The City of Bartlett is considering switching management of its branch library, the last of the suburbs in Shelby County still connected to the Memphis Public Libraries.
By Michael Waddell
..... |
