Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Fort Worth's Public Library Is Closed Today While Little Burlington Washington's Is Open

I live close to a Fort Worth Library Branch. On my way to check out Fosdic Lake to work on the Fosdic Lake Dam Vision I wanted to drop off a couple books and get a couple new ones.

But.

The Fort Worth Library was closed. And I could not drop off the books I wanted to return because the book return was blocked by the sign you see in the picture.

As I drove up to the library I saw, maybe, 10 cars in the lot and several people standing by the door, I assumed, waiting for the library to open at noon.

I sat there watching for maybe 5 minutes. Several cars drove on to the lot and left when they spotted the closed sign. Others got out of their car and walked to the door and eventually saw the closed sign. I imagine this will continue all day long

What a waste of time and gas.

So, I got to Fosdic Lake and started to walk. And then I remembered I had the number for the Burlington Library on my phone. I know the librarian.

Burlington is the small town in Washington I grew up in. It's current population is somewhere around 5,000, I think. But the town's population soars during the day due to it being a shopping hub with a big mall, outlet center, Costco, Fred Meyer, I forget what else.

My call to the Burlington Library was answered on the second ring. Try calling the Fort Worth Library and see what happens. I called at 12:15, which made it 10:15 on the West Coast. I asked, "Are you open today?"

"Yes. From 11am til 8pm" the librarian answered.

I told the librarian I was calling from Fort Worth, Texas where I was annoyed to find the library closed today.

It has annoyed me many a time to drive by the Fort Worth Library to see a line of people waiting to get in. It seems such a waste to build libraries and crimp on the hours they are open.

Oh, yes, I know there is a serious budget shortfall, so serious that Fort Worth is abandoning its Trinity River Vision Boondoggle. No, wait, I don't think that's reality, that was a dream I had recently.

Yesterday, when I had my long meeting with Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief and he not only agreed to support the Fosdic Lake Dam Vision, he agreed to use his ill-gotten Conflict of Interest gains to finance the project.

Now, I'm thinking I would be agreeable to scaling back the Fosdic Lake Dam Vision, with Mayor Moncrief donating some of his ill-gotten gains to the city for the specific use of expanding Fort Worth Library hours.

Earlier today I blogged about Seattle being America's most literate city, with Fort Worth being America's 52nd most literate city. I see a connection between little Burlington's library being open today and the Northwest having a high literacy rate and Fort Worth's library being closed today with Fort Worth having a significantly lower literacy rate, with a lot of Fort Worth citizens really wanting their library to be open today.

Shameful and perplexing.

4 comments:

  1. If you had a Texshare library card, you could have come to the Colleyville Library today. It's a lot closer than Burlington. I think pretty much all libraries are closed tomorrow and Friday.

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  2. It's shamefull but shouldn't be perplexing because you've lived here long enough to know about the priorities and incompetencies of our well-paid elecyed officials in the city and school district. However, with the master plan by the Gasfather and his "families" of gasser (i.e. CHK, Devon, XTO-ExxonMobil, etc.) to turn this city into "a company town", the less information and education the better for the control of the masses. Maybe, you can ask Mayor Gasbag to simply open up part of his mansion as a library to make up for the periods when the public libraries are closed. He won't need to serve Kool-aid to his constituents coming for books.

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  3. Steve A---
    Colleyville is a long ways from my abode to go to get a book, but it is way closer than Burlington.

    Anonymous---
    So, you think the keeping Fort Worth illiterate is part of the Master Plan of the Ruling Oligarchy? Makes sense to me. Better informed and better educated would likely cause more than 6% of the natives to vote. Can't have that happening, the Good Ol' Boy Network might lose control.

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  4. BINGO, Durango. You must not be from 'round theses here parts. Too much book learning and questioning ain't part of the "Fort Worth Way". The gasbaggers like mcClendon needs lots of workers devoted to taking orders and using their muscles not asking questions and using their minds and reasoning. See why they've been trying so hard to put down that Steve guy on Carter--can't allow any victory by the common man, it might give others "ideas" and even en-courage to do the same kind of thing. That guy and his stance--for so long and against so powerfull aggressors--reminds me of "the tankman" who stopped ( more like delayed, actually)those columns of Chinese commies' tanks in Tiannamen square twenty years ago this past summer. he might be whisked away eventually, but his bravery (or foolishness)has given the world an opportunity to see both the good and the evil sides of humanity.

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