[Michlib-l] Hosting Driver's Training

[Roger Mendel]

I agree with Michael.

Roger Mendel
----- Original Message -----
From: Michael McGuire <mdmcguire at yahoo.com>
To: michlib-l at mail.mcls.org
Sent: Tue, 10 Sep 2013 14:54:52 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: [Michlib-l] Hosting Driver's Training

This looks to me like a much bigger question than " Hosting Driver's Training." It seems like a question of how the Library wants to serve and be a part of the community. 


It seems to me like the local PTO (presumably non-profit) is the organization that is putting on the event. The fact that they've hired someone who is licensed by the State to do it doesn't seem very different that a non-profit presenting a speaker or performer and paying that that individual a fee or honorarium. 


>From a community service point of view, it seem that making it possible for local folks to do this locally in a well-known and familiar environment would be a plus for the Library. Is it a certainty that the Library will be the venue or might the participants have to drive to another locality to have the classes?


>From a public relations point of view, you'd be getting a lot of people into the library on a regular basis who might not otherwise be there and showing the community how you want to work with it on matters of community interest. 


Finally, it is educational and that is the Library's mission. 


All that said, if the company will pay for the venue, so much the better for the bottom line of the Library. Otherwise, it will be the parents paying the fee the Library charges and that isn't the image that the Library wants to put out there. Nor is it a battle that the Library wants to fight - even if it "wins." There has already been considerable disruption to the community because of the change in the school system. This is an opportunity for the Library to be a community restoring force. 


Hopefully, looking at the bigger picture will provide a different perspective. 


Michael D. McGuire
Grand Rapids, MI
mdmcguire at yahoo.com
-- 
Roger Mendel,Director
Northland Library Cooperative
220 W. Clinton St.
Charlevoix, MI 49720 send mail to Northland c/o 111 E. Parson Street Alpena, MI 49707
231-855-2206
rmendel at northland.lib.mi.us PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A NEW EMAIL ADDRESS