THE SENATE                           S.R. NO.              32
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  RESOLUTION

  URGING SUPPORT AND GIVING DUE CONSIDERATION FOR THE REQUESTS BY
    THE STATE LIBRARIAN TO IMPROVE THE HAWAII PUBLIC LIBRARY
    SYSTEM.


 1        WHEREAS, public libraries are cornerstones of the
 2   communities they serve because access to books, ideas,
 3   resources, and information in America's libraries is imperative
 4   for education, employment, enjoyment, and self-government; and 
 5   
 6        WHEREAS, more of our citizens are using libraries than
 7   ever before; and 
 8   
 9        WHEREAS, a few years ago, the management policies of the
10   Hawaii State Library System were openly criticized by
11   librarians, library users, and legislators; and
12   
13        WHEREAS, as a result, two 1998 State Auditor's Reports
14   were published, entitled, "Management Audit of the Public
15   Library System", and "Financial Audit of the Public Library
16   System"; and 
17   
18        WHEREAS, the Auditor, found that:
19   
20        (1)  Project SLIMMER failed to achieve its goals of
21             increasing decision-making authority at the
22             individual libraries and did not increase non-general
23             fund revenues as much as intend;
24   
25        (2)  Redeployment of staff from non-customer contact
26             positions to the individual libraries did not
27             demonstrate improved customer service and cost
28             savings;
29   
30        (3)  Hastily contracting for services without establishing
31             management controls undermined performance and
32             increased costs;
33   
34        (4)  Staff dissatisfaction with the reform efforts and
35             with the state librarian was widespread; and
36   
37        (5)  The State Librarian misrepresented to the Legislature
38             that revenues in the Libraries Special Fund and the
39             Library Fee for Enhanced Services Special Fund would
40             be returned to individual libraries for their needs

 
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                                  S.R. NO.              32
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1             and programs as specified by law;
 2   
 3   and
 4   
 5        WHEREAS, these findings by the State Auditor showed that
 6   the public was not being served effectively by the public
 7   library system; and
 8   
 9        WHEREAS, subsequently, in 1998, a new State Librarian was
10   appointed; and
11   
12        WHEREAS, the new State Librarian, cognizant of the
13   problems and concerns voiced regarding past practices, is
14   taking a new direction in the management of our library system
15   by reducing the levels of administration and bureaucracy, and
16   allowing more funding to be spent on direct public service;
17   now, therefore,
18   
19        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
20   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, that the
21   Legislature expresses its support of the direction the State
22   Librarian is taking and commits to giving every consideration
23   to her requests this session to increase funding, extend the
24   Enhanced Services program, and give the Board of Education the
25   authority to enter into contracts with the State Librarian; and
26   
27        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
28   Resolution be transmitted to the Board of Education and the
29   State Librarian.
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33                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________