Privatizing libraries

The John Trigg Ester Library is a public library held and operated by a nonprofit organization, the JTEL Inc. It turns out that the fifth-largest library system in the country is a private, for-profit operator: Library Systems & Services. Santa Clarita, California, is hiring this company to run their library system--and people are hopping mad.

Here are a few more stories about library privatization, from privatizationwatch.org:

• "San Joaquin County to consider privatizing libraries", by Ross Farrow, Lodi News-Sentinel, Sept. 14, 2010.
• "Brevard county checks out private option for libraries," Florida Today, July 20, 2010
• "Dartmouth library officials don't support privatization," by Curt Brown, Standard-Times, February 18, 2009

The American Library Association has a page on its website about privatization and outsourcing of library services, with reports from the ALA's Outsourcing Task Force, the Intellectual Freedom Committee, and some links to other resources on outsourcing.