The abruptness of the announcement that Chicago Public Libraries will close all day on Mondays seems to have caught people off guard. As reported in various media, after negotiations were heading toward closing Friday and Monday mornings and laying off close to three hundred staff, the mayor switched to less layoffs and the Monday closures. A dispute between the union and city hall has led to this decline in services.
This article explores the potential impact of the closings on the community. If it is true that the library is the heart of the community, as the article states, then what has Chicago just done to itself?
Shira S.