In the 21st century, are libraries a thing of the past? Even on Northampton County Council, Kelly Keegan has stated nobody reads anymore. I personally think libraries are more important than ever, primarily because they have adapted to changing times. They now have extensive digital collections; are accessible by rich and poor alike; usually provide internet access to persons unable to afford this service; and encourage intellectual development. If it were not for the public library, there's no way a person like me would be able to afford to books I enjoy reading.
Northampton Area Public Library's Exec. Director, Veronica L, provided NorCo Council on June 5 with a run down of exactly what a public library does in 2025. She called it the "first point of access for information, self-enrichment, leisure, and social connections." It serves about 44,000 people spread out over 96 sq miles.
The library operates with a "fun bunch" staff of 12 people. The latest financials reveal that a total of $280,171 is paid in salaries. "Our goal is approachability. ... Please, bother us."
Its resources include extensive physical and digital collections, including a historical and growing Spanish collection; board games; 500 online continuing education courses; and WiFi hotspots. The library will make homebound and senior center visits as well. It also includes NewsBank, a news content aggregator that contains thousands of news articles from all over the world. It is updated daily.
The library had over 60,000 visits in 2024 and circulated nearly 100,000 items (62,033 were physical, i.e. books). The library also made 525 visits Over 11.600 area residents have a library card.
The library is 52% funded by the Northampton Area School District, and area municipalities also contribute. The library will be fine free in July. "Just get the books back to us."
27 comments:
Perhaps Keegan could benefit by using a library because it might help her avoid some of silly statements.
Keegan has a point, if people do read then why are all the newspapers and media sources shrinking?
The Summer Reading program is underway for children, teens and adults at the Memorial Library of Nazareth &Vicinity. Hundreds will participate in fun and educational programs. It isn't just about reading books. Libraries are an important resource in every community and should be protected and cherished.
Why are you taking Kel Keegan’s comments out of context ? She’d confiscate all title searchers income to fund libraries if she could get away with it.
KK just proved, AGAIN, she is lost in space.
Nice positive post. I'm a self-proclaimed public library junkie for all the reasons you posted. My main library is Allentown Public Library. I'm most pleased with the very friendly, intelligent and competent staff there, many who have worked at APL for decades, a sign of a great workplace with good morale. The APL's function/role have evolved for sure, but it's still a great public facility and is first and foremost a public library.
11,600 have a library card. Big deal. How many use them?
Just when you think Keegan couldn’t get any dumber. The opening line in so many episodes of the sitcom “A. P. Bio” is perfect for her - “Start shutting up…”
Check the circulation figures at any local library - Easton, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Northampton, etc. Libraries are doing very well and even did so during the pandemic.
Tell Keegan that she is totally out of it. She doesn't know what she is talking about. People absolutely read and use the library. I'm one of them. Every time I enter the library there are many people in it. The library is even helping the youngest generation to love reading. She needs to get head out of her A--.
Keegan's an idiot- she's barely literate. I doubt if she's ever been in one.
I disagree. Libraries didn't come back from being closed during CoViD mania. Alternatives emerged and grew. We fund a lot of nonsense and long ago abandoned funding actual reading, writing and 'rithmetic. We should fund LexisNexis subscriptions. Luddites-by-choice won't read this. Unintentional, generational Luddites are rapidly becoming extinct. My late mother with a high school diploma mastered an iPad in her 80s before she passed nearly ten years ago. It enabled her to read and remain intellectually curious until her heart gave out.
Libraries are still a key point in our communities, especially for youth and the elderly. We homeschool and our kids LOVE reading. Going to the various area libraries is something they look forward to. They're effectively community hubs that offer not only books but also meeting spaces, events, and enrichment activities.
Another Lehigh Valley public official who seems to dislike public libraries is Easton City Councilman Frank Pintabone. When he was president of the Easton school board, he complained about the library's impact on the district budget (the school district collects the taxes for EAPL):
"This year, without the deficit from the library, we'd balance that budget with no deficit," said Frank Pintabone, the school board's president, "because with the library, we are at $500,000. This is the third year in a row the library has caused a budget deficit, according Pintabone." (WFMZ, May 12, 2016)
A month later, Pintabone was absent from the school board meeting that voted on the budget (8-0) (Lehigh Valley Live June 22, 2016); given the high public turnout at that meeting, his absence was likely to avoid the criticism of a 'no' vote.
A year earlier, EAPL closed their Easton Southside Branch. Self-anointed bastion of Easton's Southside and then school board president Frank Pintabone did nothing to fight against the branch's closure.
I believe it was Thomas Jefferson who said where the press is free and people able to read democracy is safe. Save our libraries turn off Fox News and read The NY Times
Oh, my! By all means, also turn off the New York Times and the Morning Propaganda Call who features their junk.
She made that remark on TikTok to explain why she does that instead of actually writing. She was nor speaking of libraries but just making a general remark about people and their reading habits. So your criticism that I took her words out of context is fair. I did not mean to imply she opposes libraries.
How’s the Kool Aid today
Hey, Bernie
I’d like to respond to a comment with facts. As they quoted a WFMZ article from 13 yrs ago they left this out “ Nobody wants to see the library close," said Pintabone. "Nobody wants to see the library cut hours, but at the same time, everybody has to make concessions."
Back then I was a year on the board and the district had a $12 million defecit. Music, athletics and other programs were on the chopping block, 88 teachers were furloughed the year before. The poster is correct that the district was a pass-through. We collected the tax from the residents and we passed it to the library. However, Maintenance upgrades, and repairs were done by the school district And it cost us a considerable amount of money. Everyone had to make concessions so the taxpayers weren’t the only ones footing the bill . The library needed to make concessions as well. We also created a line item on the tax bill for the library, Because the taxpayers had a right to know where their dollars were going. That year we asked the CIT, Community College and the Library to make concessions. That was in 2012. In 2017 I left the district with all district programs intact, all teachers brought back 2 elementary schools being redone and a 22 million dollar surplus.
Lastly, before we asked for anyone to make concessions we reduced the extremely top heavy central administration.
Have a great day
Frank Pintabone
My guess is because you can read an article online the same way you can read a physical newspaper.
The only thing councilman Pintabone wants to read is a restaurant menu.
Things must be really slow for Bernie O’Hare to drag my name into his post today. Of course, true to form, he yanked a quote completely out of context. My comment about people not reading anymore was about the decline of newspapers and media—not some attack on libraries. But hey, no press is bad press, right? I’ll take the free PR.
As for Bernie’s blog—if you're reading it like it’s gospel, maybe close the tab and touch some grass. He used my quote as a cheap tabloid hook, and honestly, good for him. And good for me—because let me be clear: I’m not afraid of Bernie’s opinion, and I definitely don’t care about earning his approval.
Voters should be choosing candidates who work in their best interests, not chasing the validation of a blogger who’s still out here swinging his keyboard at anyone who won’t kiss the "precious" little ring he’s been looking for all this time.
Pintabone went from saving the library and a 22 million surplus at the schools to pushing for and getting a relaxation of marijuana laws which do nothing to improve the city; only encourages open use and hooliganism. What a downgrade in priorities and principles.
You have strayed into OT territory. This post is about libraries, not Pintabone or your bizarre aversion.
Kelly, I agree that I did take you out of context and that criticizing my post for doing so is fair. I actually was simply finding a name for the oft expressed sentiment that people no longer like to read, and I remembered you. I never thought you dislike public libraries.
I also agree that voters should choose candidates who work for them. You have yet to learn that lesson. You have spent most of your time on Council trying to alienate other members whose votes you need. You have injected meaningless resolutions that have nothing to do with county business but just cause more division, not just with council, but the people you are supposed to represent. And you are a rubber stamp. I like Lamont and think he's a very good exec, but he screws up, too, and it is Council's job to let him know when he does so. You have actually failed him by blindly supporting him, as you recently did with the retention bonuses explanation. The simple fact is that nonunion workers got screwed, and Lamont should have told council he was ending their bonuses. He also should have been far more upfront with council about Gracedale admin instead of defending them, when he knew they were actually defying him.
I agree that you should never worry about what some blogger might say, especially if that blogger is me. But I assure you I pretty much have no interest in seeking approval from you or anyone in government. I call things as I see them as best I can. You have been a terrible disappointment and, based on what I've seen from you on social media, you need to grow up a bit.
Anon
I disagree. Currently, fines for public smoking start at approximately $25 per occurrence. My bill, the fine would start at $150 for 1st offense, $250 for 2nd and $350 for 3rd.
So my bill increased the fine 6x’s on the first offense. The only difference is, it will be a summary instead of a misdemeanor.
Good night
Frank Pintabone
Vlad is back! When I saw comments from Northampton County Councilperson Keegan and Easton City Councilperson Pintabone, I had to chime in! The barbs directed at both are pretty good and this post has already spun way off topic so I'll uncharacteristically stick to topic.
Public libraries often serve as a resource of local historical documents, archives, and related materials. They are warming/cooling places during the cold of winter or the heat of summer. The magazines and newspapers are free to read. They have music and movies. Many offer computers with internet access as well as basic services like printing and photocopying, maybe for a small fee per sheet. The bathrooms usually are not locked. Many also have book sales and do community outreach. Elected officials need to make sure that public libraries continue to thrive. We need public libraries!
Oh, and microfiche! Remember microfiche? Do any libraries still have that? Those were the days!
There should always be a library. Knowledge, history, science, culture, and entertainment are there for everyone to access. There is also a quiet, safe and distraction free place for students to study and do homework. Younger kids can have story time. Yeah, it costs a little but it provides a big return in the human condition. The ancients knew this, why are we forgetting?
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