The Public Library and the Judicial Branch

The Brisbane Public Library does not deal with the judiciary aspect of our government, it is no where near the Public Library's jurisdiction to arrest an individual or engage with the prison system. However since reading this chapter and listening to the Dolores Huerta talk it has come to my attention all of the issues facing our prison and judiciary system. How judges are elected in some instances, such as elected by a governor, could lead to less accountability by the people, Where the merit system allows judges to be held accountable to the people and in theory to not feel the need to support the legislation of the governor simply because he got him the position, even if it does not follow the will of the people. In regards to the prison system the Dolores Huerta speech spoke on the high number of delinquents serving very severe and long prison sentences for very petty crimes such as theft. Dolores Huerta went more into the racial stereotyping of the prison system, however I think prisons have become a money making/ profit making machine. Instead I think child law breakers who have not committed a very egregious crime should be put in an educational program or rehabilitation program rather then prison to stop the cycle of those kids going back to prison shortly after being released.

Interfacing Entities of the Brisbane Public Library

The Brisbane Public Library interfaces with other local entities, they work with political organizations to gain funding, they let the organizations meet and put up their posters and flyers and most of those organizations give substantial donations to the Public Library. The Brisbane Public Library will also work with other Public Libraries, in exchanging books and DVD's. This sense of community between San Mateo County libraries is not unique to the Brisbane Public Library, this system has been in place since Public Libraries started to use computers and a automated system that organizes the contents of their library and their check out system. However this interfacing with other San Mateo county libraries is specifically beneficial to the Brisbane Library because of it's small size, without the relationship it has with other Public Libraries it would not be able to meet the needs of it's constituents because it would not be able to hold all the books, computers or DVD's that they want in the space the library occupies.

The Brisbane Library and City Council

The Library has not recently been caught up in any state and local relationships, but before I started work there, the library was asked to move locations because the city council wanted to extend the back area into a walking garden, this would limit the space of the library as well as it's capacity to have a sufficient amount of books to be checked out, since this is already a problem effecting the library the workers were not happy about this proposal. I'm not sure how they managed to stay where they are, but regardless it illustrates the conflicting relationship between my community partner and the city council.

Brisbane Library and Legislation

The Public Library of Brisbane has not directly sought to change any legislative changes, however it does allow organizations and people who are attempting to change legislation  to leave their flyers and put their posters on the windows. The library does this to remain a neutral space within the community, because their main source of community outreach and revenue is by acting as a meeting place for all political organizations. The library does seem to more heavily enforce legislation that has to do with education and children. This is because the main groups of people who frequently use the library are kids of various ages as well as members of the school board as a meeting place and a club called the Mothers of Brisbane that is focused on education and the community's children.