Library discussion

Public libraries don't have
books that patrons want

The Star-Bulletin's May 15 editorial, "Beleaguered librarian," was shallow, unreasoned and uninformed.

Yesterday I was at the Kalihi-Palama Library trying for the second time to borrow "Wild Meat and Bully Burgers" by Lois-Ann Yamanaka, a well-reviewed book by a noted local author.

No luck -- the ONE copy was out (on loan or in transit). Statewide, the library system had 40 copies, of which nine were available but none from a nearby library.

Out of curiosity I looked up "Primary Colors," that political novel that is so popular on the mainland but which is uninteresting to me. Kalihi-Palama had two copies waiting on the shelf and the system had a total of 178 copies, of which 127 were available.

To me, your assertion that "the problems seem to have been worked out" is no great comfort. You criticized the Coalition for Improved Libraries for soliciting library employees' opinions of their boss. A more objective analysis would have seen the group's actions as concrete evidence that the library's system's management vs. labor problems continue to fester. I personally consider the coalition's unusual actions as gutsy and commendable.

Ernie Baclig
(Via the Internet)

Coalition's mission
isn't sinister or clandestine

Discrediting the efforts of the Coalition for Improved Libraries as resentment over losing local book selection ("Beleaguered librarian," May 15) misrepresents the issue. The coalition is an ad hoc statewide group of concerned library employees, not "critics" bent on "vendetta."

The coalition's purpose is to provide a safe venue for all library employees to express their view of current library management. The results will go to the Board of Education. That we are a "previously unheard-of group" is not as sinister as the Star-Bulletin implies.

It is essential that the BOE receives input from employees who serve and interact with the public daily.

Rebecca Bishop
Coalition for Improved Libraries
(Via the Internet)

State libraries are losing
valuable reference books

If you really believe that the problems with the mainland book contract have been worked out, I am afraid that you are unaware of the real situation in the libraries. Only when one happens to use particular reference books does one suddenly become aware that the collections are deteriorating.

In April I went to the Business, Science and Technology Section of the Hawaii State Library to look up a tax question in "RIA US Tax Reporter." When the librarians were in charge of book selection, one could depend on that series to be up-to-date. Now it is no longer current, having been canceled since 1996.

Then I looked around and noticed that many of the standard reference services have also been canceled, including the General Science Index, Business Periodicals Index, Applied Science and Technology Index, Sweet's Catalog, and all Moody's Manuals.

On further inquiry I learned that the librarians were told to submit their lists of desired reference books to Baker & Taylor, but most of their requests were turned down.

Until the librarians regain control of book selection, our library collections will continue to deteriorate with short-sighted, thoughtless selections, while truly worthwhile reference books like Jane's "All the World's Aircraft" become irretrievably lost because they were not purchased while still available.

Connie Hagiwara

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Gambling publicity
isn't the whole story on Carey

I am writing this letter to express my disappointment in the overreaction of the community and media to the arrest of UH football player Tim Carey. If you want a real picture of who Tim Carey is, don't look at last week's papers and news coverage, look at what he did six short weeks ago. Tim was instrumental in saving the life of a 6-year-old boy.

That's the real character trait that Tim possesses. Traits of courage and integrity. Let's try to remember what's important.

Shawn M. Smith
Kapaa, Kauai

Sorry, coach, but gambling charge
is a very big deal

We have a potential starting Division 1 quarterback arrested at a known gambling establishment in Chinatown that you can only attend by invitation and Coach vonAppen is surprised at the amount of media coverage? "For goodness sakes, it's only a misdemeanor," he states.

Unfortunately, it's much more than that and I think it deserved the media attention it got. How do traffic tickets and sports equate with gambling and sports? I think that the coach's personal relationship to Carey has clouded his ability to objectively assess the seriousness of his misdemeanor. While he may not have been betting on sports, let's not forget that he had to be invited by someone there.

What are the chances that some of the others arrested have bet on sport events? If Coach vonAppen doesn't see the big deal in that, I think we should be very concerned with who we have leading our football program and whether or not he's going to take it where we really want it to go.

Mike Bonifacio
Ewa Beach

Kowtowing to union power
produces cynical voters

Your recent editorial suggesting that public unions enjoy too much power was right on point. Consider the power wielded by just one union boss, Gary Rodrigues.

Recently Rodrigues won a lawsuit to have the voters' wishes in regard to a constitutional convention voided. Next he managed to "veto" a county's efforts to save taxpayers' money by privatizing public services. Then there was the news story stating that because of the union the government cannot rid itself of an employee who tests positive for drug use 10 times.

But the crowning piece of political ignominy was Sen. Norman Mizuguchi's recent appointment of Rodrigues to the Judicial Selection Commission, which gave Rodrigues power to pick the judges who will decide his own lawsuits.

It begins to look like the state has adopted a new form of government -- one in which sovereignty has been wrested away from the people and their government and placed in the hands of Rodrigues and his labor union. Is it any wonder Hawaii voters are cynical?

Raymond L. Forrester

Rodrigues appointment
is politics as usual

Having union official Gary Rodrigues on the Judicial Selection Commission is to let union influence penetrate the judiciary -- a dangerous precedent. It proves one more time that our legislators -- in this case, Sen. Norman Mizuguchi -- are boldly arrogant and flaunt that arrogance before the public.

It is plainly evident that Rodrigues already has enough power.

How long do Hawaii residents accept being patsies?

As a group, our politicians lead us down the garden path with promises to the electorate of little more than meaningless mush. What they "sell off" to influential power brokers is the city, county and state -- and whatever of our individual futures we hope will remain.

Ray Thiele
Kailua

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Same-sex archive

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