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Florida House Derails State Library MoveThe Florida House voted April 4 to reject Gov. Jeb Bush’s plan to transfer the state library’s circulating collection from Tallahassee to Nova Southeastern University and eliminate 55 of the library’s 120 positions. Since the Senate's budget includes no funding for the move, the governor’s proposal, which drew angry opposition from library supporters across the state, appears to be off the table. An amendment sponsored by Rep. Bev Kilmer (R-Quincy) to provide full funding for the library to remain in a government building in the capital city was approved unanimously. “This is a win/win for history and literacy in the state of Florida, but just as importantly, for the people who actually used the materials housed in the state library,” Kilmer told the April 4 Sarasota Herald-Tribune. However, a proposed reorganization of state agencies would transfer to the Department of Management Services some 30 state library staffers who advise state agencies on which records to keep. Although Gov. Bush and Secretary of State Glenda Hood maintain that department is a better fit for the employees’ function, others fear those jobs could be privatized, and critical state historical documents could be discarded. “My understanding was the entire State Library would stay as it is, and I would consider that part of the State Library,” Florida Library Association lobbyist Jody Fitzgerald told the April 8 Orlando Sentinel. “It’s sad if they move it over there,” Barratt Wilkins, who retired in January after 26 years as state librarian, told the Sentinel. “I know exactly what they’re going to do. They’re going to outsource it. While I was still there, they had people come over to look at how they would run it.” Posted April 14, 2003. |
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