On the front page of last week’s Review, we took the unusual step of advocating for an increase in the state income tax. However worthy that argument might be, the unfortunate reality is the money would be used to plug existing holes in state spending. In Cook County there are too many examples of tax increases needed to maintain the status quo.
Here’s the good news. The Forest Park Public Library recently received a modest bump in its revenue stream and has been using the money to introduce innovations. Imagine that: new money leading to new programs.
Page 4 of this week’s issue holds the story of an online program that library patrons can access from any computer. It allows users to download – for free – an audio file of their favorite book. You can play it on your MP3 player and don’t have to worry about returning anything to the library or incurring late fees. Obviously, audio books have become wildly popular in recent years and digital technology is almost constantly at our fingertips. The library staff continues to do a fantastic job of managing its resources and giving the reading public what it wants.
