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VIRGIN ISLANDS COMPREHENSIVE LIBRARY PROGRAM PLAN — notte Gi. sCROTX, PROGRAMS sia i . PROPOSED BY ROBERT V. VAUGHN = (Member Governor's Library Advisory Council 1971-1978) ' . * ’ : ! f " 30 a ays ‘i a3 : ; Us oe | Copyright Rebert V. Vaughn 1978 . AYE-AYE PRESS Borie Kaneshi ii «St. Croix. = Vl 008510 . ; 7 VIRGIN ISLANDS COMPREHENSIVE LIBRARY PROGRAM PLAN ST. CROIX PROGRAMS PROPOSED BY ROBERT V. VAUGHN *® (Member Governor's Library Advisory Council 1971-1978) Copyright Robert V. Vaughn 1978 AYE-AYE> PRESS ~~> Roxei224 Kineshi ll eesSt. Croix. Vi “00850 FOREWORD This study is being prepared as one of the last "official" acts of this member of the Governor's Library Advisory Council (hereafter referred to as GLAC), and it is in response to requests by the Chariperson of that council for "assistance" in preparing the Virgin Islands Bureau of Libraries' Five Year Plan for submission to the Federal Government under the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA). Because of the fact that the input of GLAC members has usually not been seriously solicited, but rather approval of completed plans has been sought to comply with Federal regulations, and because of the fact that previous studies have been ignored and not even acknowledged, this author hesitated to submit additional studies to the Bureau of Libraries. With the hope of having recommendations recorded for more than the Director of Libraries to view; this hastily prepared study of a library progarm for St. Croix is bing published. . This author wrote to the Director of Libraries on March 6, 1978: It also appears that Bureau personnel may be confusing the role of participants in assisting the Bureau. The Governor's Library Advisory Council should not be the originating body for revising reports of prior years. The Council should assist and people have volunteered to. assist, but assistance does not mean that they will actually research ‘and write the proposals. The corpus of a plan or proposals or revisions should be prepared by the Bureau with the expetation that it will be revised by the advice of the Governor''s Library Advisory Council. ; When contacted by a St. Croix citizen concerning participation on councils and being able to give citizens assistance, this writer stated: For your guidance, I am employed by the Good Hope School, exclusively. I assist .in library matters on councils which are strictly advisory in nature, and for which I receive absolutely no pay, and for which tremendous amounts of my personal time are required, and I may add, often for very little satisfaction. It appears that the role of the Governor's Library Advisory Council Member is confused in the eyes of the community, the Bureau, and the Council itself. In 1972 this writer suggested a detailed 5 year plan for St. Croix, a portion of which is included in Appendix I, which was ignored and was never even ack- nowledged. Subsequent efforts to influence input including efforts to halt the planned construction of the present Christiansted Public Library proved hopeless even though it was to be located in a location editorialized by a Virgin Islands newspaperman as an "insane location.". It was constructed there even after a survey of St. Croix librarians indicated the library should have been constructed near the center of the island at Kingshill. It should also be noted that the GLAC, as a body, requested the Governor not to construct the library in the present location. be ee 11 . This publication is just another page in the history of Virgin Islands librarianship, but at least it is in the realm of written history, instead of just "oral" history. . Snes VIRGIN ISLANDS COMPREHENSIVE LIBRARY PROGRAM PLAN ST. CROIX PROGRAMS PROPOSED BY ROBERT V. VAUGEN (Member Governor's Library Advisory Council 1971-1978) Individual Governor's Library Advisory Council members have been invited to submit a new revision to the 1973 comprehensive five-year plan, Networks of ienledre: 1 have been a member of the Governor's Library Advisory Council (hereafter abbreviated to GLAC) ‘during the term of three individual Virgin Islands Governors, including the first elected Governor of the Virgin Islands, Governor Evans. Over the period of years, it became obvious to this member that the problems in St. Thomas/St. John are entirely AueeSacme then those in St. Croix, because of terrain, population dispersion, distances, quality of education, languages (English, Spanish, Papiamentu, French Creole, and many European languages are heard regularly on St. Croix). I could not, and would not, speak for the needs of St. Thomas/ St. John. but /l can and will -speak for-the needs of St. Croix: Therein lies the problem, for library plans are made in our centra- lized Bureau of Libraries and St. Croix's needs are mitigated by St. Thomas/S. John's needs, and a value judgement must be made according to how to divide the existing funds, federal and terri- torial (there are no local or district funds), according to some- one's evaluation of needs. The recommendations herein are minimal, but are for the island of St. Croix, with the exception that there be a reduction in central administration expenditures (including air fare between islands), so as to permit expansion of library services at the 2 neighborhood level to serve the presently unserved. Networks of Knowledge was a moteworthy 1973 study of library service and the five year plan, prepared under the direc- tion of the former Director of V. I. Libraries, Miss Enid M. Baa. Perhaps one of the problems with that study was that it was too extensive, and as a result perhaps confusing to outsiders who had to judge the merit of the plan. Some of the statistical data is of questionable validity although prepared by outside Virgin Islands departments and bureaus, thus further complicating this already complicated study. I do not know what the needs of St. Thomas or St. John are, but I know the needs of gr} teroix will never be reflected in any written survey, requiring reading a survey form and replying in writing, for many people, especially the people we must reach, will not or cannot read and write well enough to respond. The major thrust of library service in St. Croix must be directed. outward from the two libraries, to reach the reluctant patrons. This will involve several steps, all of which require additional funding and additional librarians of a different type than we have utilized in the Virgin Islands in the past, including: (1) Moving the Frederiksted Public Library to the old location (after renovation); (2) Purchasing two bookmobiles (insure regular visits--repairs, illness, etc.)--with driving librarians (not chauffeured); (3) Establish a viable cultural activities center at the Virgin Islands prison at Golden Grove; (4) Establish a branch at the Hospital in Christiansted; (5) Establish a branch library at Villa la Reigne; and; (6) Provide additional library materials at all areas. 3 Frederiksted Public: Library - The present predenikeued Public Library is not performing adequately as a public library, since it is used as a lounge area to lime and talk while escaping the heat. The open nature of the library magnifies the problem of noise and the glass windows encourage people to come in and talk with: their. friends. The library*in its present; location is totally inadequate, and will always be so. It is further directed away from library activities because of its depleted collection and because it is used as a substitute school library for the St. Patrick's School, instead of the school's eve opine its own basic La binaryvec ail ne physical layout of the Frederiksted Public Library precludesit's being useful as a library, and should be utilized as a social 5s activities center for the housing project, instead of a library. At the present time, the Frederiksted Public Library services only the Government offices, St. Patrick's School and the Lagoon Street Project. It is mandatory that its location be moved to the time-proved old location -on Strand Street. Two Bookmobiles - Two bookmobiles and driving-librarians should be incorporated into the systems. Both bookmobiles should operate out of a library with a collection large enough to serve them. The two bookmobiles should allow a re Sialys nica to most remote areas of St. Croix which could not regualarly be served from a central or branch library.* It is imperative that there be two -bookmobiles, so that in case of illness on the part of either driving librarian that the weekly visits could be maintained. Regularlity on the part of bookmobile service is imperative. Additionally, with two bookmobiles, and the state of the art of motor/mechancial work-on St. Croix, this could still permit the. 4 weekly visits. The bookmobiles could serve housing areas and housing projects such as: Mon Bijou, Glenn, Barrons Castle, ~ Colquohoun, Grove,Croixville, Paradise, Profit, Harvey, Mt. Pleasant, Sofarelli, Whim, Kingshill, Campo Rico, Prosperity, etc. These areas are now unserved and have perhaps some of the neediest persons living there. Perhaps over one-half of the population of St. Croix, who live there, are unserved and will remain unserved under existing five-year plans. Cultural Activities Center. at V. I. Prison - The need for an ongoing program at the V. I. Prison at Golden Grove and at the proposed Juvenile Detentention Center is well documented, by studies and the fact that the Legislature passed legislation and the Governor signed into law enabling legislation to establish a Cultural Activities Center. The primary impetus for that legis-~ lation was a study by the Institutions Committee of the St. Croix Library Association, prepared by this writer. Because of unclear language in the legislation, the Bureau of Libraries was not authorized to initiate such service, however the Bureau should take the initiative to establish a viable center and supply it with full-time personnel and materials on an ongoing-- not on an interim basis. There must be some permanancy to develop continuity and responsibility. The enabling legisiation is there, all it ‘takes ‘to put it into operation is the funding and the cooperation between two branches of the Governor's Cabinet (a seemingly impossible task). Christiansted Hospital Branch - The Christiansted Hospital has a number of long term patients and quite a few juvenile patients who are presently unserved. No matter how well intentioned volunteers 5 () i are, they cannot and will not suffice tooperate such a library. People recuperating have the time for library activities but not the opportunity at this time. Again, continuity and responsibility are important, and again this would require the cooperation between two branches of the Governor's Cabinet. Villa la Reigne Branch - Villa La Reigne is the most centralized shopping area serving most of the area west of Sunny Isl: es, including the Frederiksted area.» Frederiksted has no major shopping areas, but individual stores instead. People from mid-island and west, currently unserved by libraries, could utilize -a conventiently located store-front type library floated thereat Villa La Reigne. The importance of the area as far as expansion goes is illustrated by the fact that there is new construction going on at the present time, including a new fast-food outlet (and they would not have located there without research). Again, this branch should be staffed and supplied with library materials. The hours should be geared to the shopping hours. Additional Library Materials - There are continuing com- plaints to this member of the GLAC that the Christiansted and Frederiksted Public Libraries do not seem to get any new materials, of if they do; they are very insignificant:. It appears that funds are expended for personnel, expecially at the administrative level, butnot for materials. The magazine subscription lists of all libraries should be examined annually to determine their usefulness, or if additions:are necessary. Additionally, perhaps adnate duties could be rearranged so that a cataloger could be provided on the island of St. Croix, thus preventing the impossible delays and losses of materials resulting from their having to be sent to St. 6 for cataloging. Too much material leaves St..Croix and never returns, it appears (this is particularly true of Virgin Islands lor West Indian materials). Conclusions - Six proposals for a five- year plan revision have been suggested, herein. Many of them are the same proposals which have been recommended by this GLAC member since 1971, but with little,-or no implementation. The six proposals would require considerable flexibility in individuals and in hours. The American Library Association requirements for a MLS should be disensed with until the Bureau is able to upgrade its staff. It may be difficult to-obtain an ALA-qualified driving-librarian, with a MLS, therefore the driving aspect should take precedence over the MLS. ALA standards may be perfectly acceptable in the States, but become impractical in ey areas of library service in the Virgin Islands, as is evidenced by the existing vacancies in the Bureau. of Libraries. This will be my final recommendation as a member of the GLAC to the Virgin Islands' five-year plan, for my term expires at the end of 1978, and I recommend that someone just as vocal as myself be recruited in my place. Complacency, while assuring traditionalism and maintenance of the status quo was never respon- sible for social change. It took people like Martin Luther King, Martin Luther, Abraham Lancorn ete... to do that. I trust St. Thomas and St. John will submit their recommen- dations for changes on their islands. As a philosophy, perhaps libraries should be come less monolithic in their planning, such as not building large "Carnegie" monuments which do not serve, but stay Small -service areds able to respond to the “grass roots” :7at 7 than to the centralized bureaucracy. Serving the people is the first goal of library service. Serving the existing government is only one role, but of very low priority. We have too many unserved, and must attempt to reach them, if society is to be able to bring them into the mainstream of creative citizenship, rather than to the destructive areas which seem to be the rule in some casesnow. Robert V. Vaughn Member Governor's Library Advisory Council Mancha 5, 019)7:3 APPENDIX I CAPITAL OUTLAY BUDGET PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICES 1969 - 1975 (Excerpts) We have submitted herewith a 6-Year Plan for the construction of public library buildings for the fiscal years 1969/70 through 1974/75... : It is...proposed that branch libraries should be provided for all of the outlying communities extending from Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas, and from the two towns of St. Croix to the areas of greatest concentration. A time schedule is given for proposed constructions... Library buildings should be planned with a minimum OteZ0gVieanst expansion of service and community growth, and for enlargement if and when needed. Public library buildings should be located in or near community shopping centers, near banks, post offices, etc., whenever possible. Buildings should have open-faced fronts with considerable glass, and built to sidewalk-line, not recessed from the beaten path, and if possible on streets with two-way traffic and street parking. If not, parking area should be provided in the rear for readers and staff... Accordingly, seven (7) branches are planned for St. Thomas and one large central library. One branch in 1974/75 is planned :for St. John, and in St. Croix (4) branches besides -the two (A) existing libraries in towns, a medium sized one at Orange Grove (Cruzana) in 1970/71, and a large central library in 1973/74 at Center Island... SUMMARY SIX-YEAR CAPITAL OUTLAY PROJECTIONS Year Sita Giyousx St. Thomas St. John Total 1968/69 --- $ 40,000 --- ‘$ 40,000 1969/70 i ALO) 5 OOO) 5/00), LO) -o- 670,100 1970/71 360,000 12:3),400 --- 483,400 971/72 139,250 309,350 — 448,600 1972/73 113,400 1,658,250 <= 1,771,650 1973/74 841,500 : --- --- 841,500 1974/75 BShe --- 13594250 139,250 Iehrersiak $2,701,100 139), 250 4,394,500 CAPITAL OUTLAY BUDGET BY ISLAND Year St. Croix St. Thomas “We Sti adohn 1969/70 Christiansted Bourne Field ee ($50,000) - ($139, 250) Frederiksted Oswald Harris Court ($50,000) ($139,250) Tutu ($291,600) 1970/71 Orange ‘Grove — French Town ---- ($350,000) ($10,000) | Profit Bovoni-Nadir | ($10,000) ($113,400) 1971/72 Mt. Welcome Bordeaux --- ($139, 250) ($139,250) Vessup Bay ($170,100) 1972/73 Marly Charlotte Amalie ses ($113, 400) ($1,658,250) 1973/74 Center Island --- --- ($841,500) 1974/75 aaa --- Cruz Bay ($139, 250) The foregoing is exerpted from the captioned study by Enid M. Baa, Director, Division of Public Libraries, dated September 23, 1968. A ————————— eee 10 ( APPENDIX I —— Five Year Projections Vil. Total* Libraries and Museums** Li brary ***% Year Budget Increase Budget Increase Administration 1968-69 $55.5 ae EIS --- --- 1969-70 64.8 SB 3)63) 347.4 $ 63.8 --- 1970-71 79.8 15.0 452.2 105.0 --- 1971-72 90.3 10.5 495.2 43.0 --- 1972-73 $100. 8**% BaD 538,2**% Se $ 134.5 1978-74 111.3 --- 581.2 --- 145.3 1974-75 121.8 =-- 624.2 — --- 156.0 1975-76 W2e2 --- 667.2 =—— 166.8 1976-77 142,8 --- {TN Oe 22 --- 177.5 * In Millions of Dollars . ** In Thousands of Dollars: *** Use 1971-72 Increase xkk&* Use 1/4 of Total Library Budget; Includes museums. DIVISION OF LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS Projected Operating Budget ; St. Croix **** St. Thomas**** St. John**** Year Total Admin.* Balance** Amount Lib. Amount Lib. Amount Lib. 1972-73 $538.2 $134.5 $403.7 $205.5 2 $187.3 2 § 10.9 ] 1973-74 581.2 145.3 435.8 221.8 3 202.2 2 11.8 1 1974-75 624.2 156.0 468.2 ~ 238.3 3 INV 52 3 N2ASy j 1975-76 667.2 166.8 500.4 254.7 h 232.2 iN S55 ] 1976-77 710.2 io) Svea ap es) 5 247.2 h 14.4 1 x In Thousands of Dollars **'1/4 of Total Budget *** 3/4 of Total Budget zx Budgeted by % Total 1970 Census: St. Croix 50.9%; St. Thomas 46.4%; St. John 2.7% St. Croix Libraries Operating and Capital Budgets Projected Sudgst WO Ze73 1973-74 W974=75 1975a10) 1976-77 Ssereting Budget Salaries $ 72,000 S11S}7/ Ow) § 154,950 jrher Expenses 133,500 84 500 7835000. Jotal $205,500 § 221,600 ~$ 238,300 =1 Budeet $165,000 §$ 880,000 $ 15,000 § 370,500 $1,101,800 $ 253,300 972-73 973-74 . | $97'-75 1975-76 1976-77 Library “C'sted Branch F'sted Branch Bookmobile Total C'sted Branch F'sted Branch Bookmobi le Central Library Total C'sted Branch F'sted Branch Bookmobi les (2) Central Library C'sted Branch F'sted Branch Bookmobiles (2) Central Library Grove-Calquhoun C'sted Branch F'sted Branch Bookmobi Jes (2) Central Library Grove-Calquhoun Sunny Isle Total UWn——hhy 11 ST. CROIX LIBRARIES Five Year Plan Personnel Personnel 1] Deputy Director 2 Librarians 2 Librarians ) Librarian seDep =. Dir, 5 eEi bes. Librarians Librarians Librarian: Deputy Director Librarians Clerks 1 Dep. Dir. 7 Lib. 5 Clerks 2 Librarians 2 Librarians 2 Librarians 1 Deputy Director 2 Librarians 5 Clerks 1 Dep. Dir, 8 Lib., 5 Clerks 2 Librarians: 2 Librarians 2 Librarians 1 Deputy Director 2 Librarians 5 Clerks ] Librarian 1 Clerk IMDED aD iO by 6 Clerks Librarians Librarians Librarians Deputy Director Librarians Clerks Librarian Clerk Librarian Clerk oi ue Pest an Depa Olina, VOMEiS , 2 -_tharks —[—$ = YH NNN 4 Total Salary $ 15,000 22,800 © 22,800 11,400 § 72,000 S228 00 22,800 11,400 15,000 22 ,800': 42,500 $137,300 § 24,000 24000 - 24,000 15,200 24 000 43,750 5 154,950 $ 24,000 24,000 24 000 15,200 24,000 43 750 12,000 8,750 $ 175,700 24 500 24500 24 ,500 1552750 24 500 4h 500 12,250 8,900 12,250 8,900 $ 190,500 3-74 375-76 Library C'sted Branch F'sted Branch Bookmobi le-F Total C'sted Branch F'sted Branch Bookmobi le-F Central Library Total C'sted Branch F'sted Branch Bookmobile-F Central Library Bookmobi 1e-C Total C'sted Branch F'sted Branch Bookmobi le-F Central Library Bookmobi le-C Grove-Calquhoun Total C'sted Branch F'sted Branch Bookmobi le-F Central Library Bookmobi le-C Grove-Calquhoun Sunny Isle Total ST. CROIX LIBRARIES Five Year Plan Action New Location (Orange Grove) Continue Establish Continue Improve Continue Establish Continue Continue | Continue Continue Establish Continue Continue Continue Continue Continue Establish Continue Continue Continue Continue Continue Continue Establish Ws Capital Budget $ 150,000 15,000 5 165,000 $ 30,000 850,000. ~$ 880,000 $ 15,000 $15,000 $ 150,000 $_150,000 Personnel —| — | _ s oe _ (1 Appoint Deputy Director of Libraries for St. Croix, who will transfer to the Central Library. March 7, 1972 13 DIVISION OF LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS ee re Me ee eee ee Professional and Clerical Personnel Island Professional Clerical Total St. Crotx 5 10 15 St. Thomas hk i) 13 St. John** boils 1 2 Total - 10 21 3] = "For every 6,000 population served there should be one professional “and two clericals."! These figures are based on the 1970 Census. == Minimum. St. Croix Libraries . Five Year Plan | The main problem in St. Croix is from June to September when the school libraries (the normal source of materials for juveniles) are closed. The The Division Public Libraries, ‘in conjunction with the Department of Education should arrange to keep key libraries epen during this period (See AMERICAN LIBRARIES, Jan 1971, pps. 56ff, 'Where Will All The Children Go''). If this cannot be accomplished, massive mobile library service must Be provided at that time. These libraries could be kept open with a minimum of expense, primarily salaries (an edded benefit to the Department of Education would be that librarians could be working on their own collections during this period). Some of the school libraries which could be used as summer libraries, since they are conveniently close to potential patrons are Claude 0. Markoe, Grove Place, Central High School, Sion Farms, Christiansted Elementary School (and perhaps Christiansted Junior High School), and St. Peter's. The serious concern of the Department of Education Administration for the youth of our community could not be better demonstrated than by keeping these school libraries open the year around. Robert V. Vaughn St. Croix Library Association: March 7, 1971 . ' ' 1A SELECTED LIBRARY RELATED STUDIES BY ROBERT V. VAUGHN "Audio-Visual" Materials. Frederiksted, St. Croix, VI: The Good Hope School E1075 A Cultural Activities Center for the Virgin Islands Correctional Institution at Golden Grove. Kingshill, St. Croix, VI: Aye-Aye Press, c1977. "Education and Training of Library Personnel in the Bureau of Libraries and Museums,’ A review for the Governor's Library Advisory Council, October 5, 1977. 1493 and All of That: Some Problems of Doing Historical Research in the West Indies. Kingshill, St. Croix, VI: Aye-Aye Press, cl976. The Good Hope School and Its Library: An Overview. Kingshill, St. Croix, VI: Aye-Aye Press, cl978. "Him Too,'' School Library Journal, January 1976, p. 3. "Honest Information,'"' Library Journal, January 15, 1972. International ‘Library Conference, Jamaica, April 24-29, 1972. Christiansted, VI: Published by the Author, c1972. Libraries in the St. Croix Community. Christiansted, Ste Crois,) Vales St. Croix Library Association, 1971. Library Programs for St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands. (ed. by RVV). St. Croix Library Association, C1974. "National Drug Education Training Dreerantt! American Libraries, May 1971, pp. 452-454, The "Old'' Christiansted Public Library Reconstruction: A Closer Look. Kings- hill, St. Croix, VI: Aye-Aye Press, c1975. "The 'Open' Library Concept for Kindergarten through Twelfth Grades at the Good Hope School, St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands."" Masters thesis, Goddard College, c1976. The Perennial Problem, Periodicals: How a Small West Indian Independent School Proposes to Solve Its Periodical Problem. Frederiksted, St. Croix, VI: Good Hope School, c1977. Professionalism in Librarianship. Christiansted, St. Croix, VI: St. Croix Library Association, ci972. Freceraixsted Topos: for s. Library at the 15 ‘St. Croix, The Virgin Islands, and the West Indies: The Bibliography of a Private Collection. Christiansted, St. Croix, VI: Published by the Author, c1971. A Virgin Islands Depository Law---Of Sorts: Its Background and Development. Kingshill, St. Croix, VI: Aye-Aye Press, c1978. "Virgin Islands Libraries.'' Christiansted, St. Croix, VI: Published by the Author, 1971. West Indian Library and Archival Personnel, 2nd ed. Christiansted, St. Croix, VI: Published by the Author, c1972. A West Indian School Looks at Its Library. Christiansted, St. Croix, VI: Published by the Author, c1972.