By Declan J. O'Donnell*

ABSTRACT

A pilot project is described whereby the new library in Douglas County, Colorado, will house a specialized space library section, complete with a display area, artwork, and meeting room. The selected volumes will be listed, including National Space Society publications. Dr. Buzz Aldrin's support and activity will be disclosed. The special section of this new library was designed to be duplicable in every community with a willing library board of directors. The budget and funding techniques are detailed. The outer space section as developed for the Douglas County, Colorado, public library is promoted for duplication internationally by space activists in their community.

THE OUTREACH PROBLEM

Space activists are only too familiar with the saying, "We are preaching to the choir." Conference after conference fails to produce significant new people to hear of our exciting plans to colonize outer space. The National Space Society has experienced a decrease in membership during the past decade -from 26,000 members to perhaps 19,000 members. Most of the concern is focused on a marked absence of younger people joining into space activist groups. With the exception of the Mars Society since 1997, a burst of membership from zero to 7,000 people in four years, the outreach programs of space activist groups appear flat.

This is peculiar because NASA statistics seem to say that our national space program is popular. Former NASA administrator Daniel Goldin has reported repeatedly that national statistics support NASA. The polling results typically place an overall approval rating at 85%; strong approval at 50%; very strong at 15%; and "this is one of the most important works of government" at 5%.¹

Furthermore, the entertainment industry has demonstrated good box office grosses on outer space themes. "Star Wars" became an institution and dozens of others have gained remarkable status. "Buzz Lightyear" may be our strongest link to the next generation, an action figure licensed by Dr. Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 astronaut.

If our society approves of space activity generally, then outreach programs should be effective. Perhaps the problem is that we do not have any workable, well designed, and coordinated program to educate younger people. For sure we do have some noteworthy promotions, like space week, but that is not enough. Outreach to the community at large, and particularly to students, is critically important. It is asserted that our community public library is a target for educational purposes.

THE LOCAL LIBRARY

Who is in there

At our meetings we see older men with grey hair, good educations, and much affluence. At your local library we can find everyone else, except us. That's right: All the people we care to promote are in the local libraries of the world.

They have to be there. Schools promote local libraries and teachers give out assignments that require students to use their local libraries. Individuals of all ages use the libraries for reference materials. Businesses utilize their local libraries for research and reference purposes. Non profits use the libraries to research their mission as well as to research who is likely to fund a grant to promote the mission. Moms go there not only to keep the younger children in appropriate books, but, also, to borrow a novel or two for Dad and her.

The point is that we have a good cross section of every community in every public library. This starting assumption is not lessened in degree by the advent of the computer. Public libraries in most cities provide computers with internet access for public use. The general public identifies the library as a computer user-friendly station at the right price - free.

How it is financed

Perhaps a part of the definition of a public library is the proposition that it is financed by a coercive tax base or other public funds. Homeowners in the county pay for the library as part of the county real estate tax base in Douglas County, Colorado, and in most library districts. Developers of new subdivisions are required to dedicate 50%, more or less, of their project real estate, (or equivalent value), to public purposes. Therefore, public libraries are assisted with financing as part of the public tax base infrastructure. As communities expand, so too may that infrastructure.

Capital expenditures advance the timing of coercive funding by involving the issuance of bonds. Lenders advance large amounts of money for the capital construction of new libraries and various new additions. They are repaid out of monies generated by the county tax system or other public financing system.

Because of this coercive financing at the core of the public library system, there is a reasonable expectation of expansion, upgrade, and flexibility. Our public library system is not dependent on any legislative good offices or executive favor. Money to sustain it is guaranteed so long as taxpayers live in its district, or public financing system are authorized.

THE SPACE ROOM UPGRADE

Space Governance Journal

The journal of United Societies in Space and the World Space Bar Association, Space Governance Journal, is subscribed by thousands of readers in the space industry and by major law schools. There are dozens of notable law libraries that take the journal, US and UN offices, and newsrooms.²

Unfortunately, the general public does not frequent these places. In fact, the general public does not even have access to these places. Consequently, Space Governance Journal tried for 10 years to have Colorado public libraries, (at least), subscribe without success. The problem is that it is above the level of general reading, according to library reviewers.

Here in Castle Rock, Colorado, our hometown, we achieved a breakthrough. Mr. Greg Mickells, branch manager of the Castle Rock library, agreed to upgrade the library rather than downgrade our journal. He sold the Douglas County Library District board of directors on the idea and we subscribed Dr. Buzz Aldrin to help promote the concept. The result is a meeting room converted to a Buzz Aldrin Space Collection. The contents include Space Governance Journal and a whole lot more: The USIS library committee and Buzz and Lois Aldrin will define and select this collection for the benefit of library patrons. The core contents are duplicable in every library worldwide.³

Promotional Package

In order to encourage the Douglas County Library District board of directors to create and sustain the space room, we presented the following package of promise: these may be duplicated in any community upon request.

Fund Raising

Community users of the library are asked to contribute small amounts to help create this space room. The idea is to invite users to invest in the project so the community feels it is part of it. United Societies in Space, Inc. is an IRS 501(c)(3) public charity so contributions are 100% deductible in the year made. Cash contributions may be scaled as follows: $50 to buy a book, $500 to buy a dozen books, and $1,000 to buy a shelf. Your name will be recorded in the Buzz Aldrin Room in the Library, published in Space Governance Journal, and for those who buy more than one shelf, on the shelves. Almost any fund raiser is acceptable, but we recommend a wall mosaic of our solar system with the tiles priced from $20 to $200, depending on how many stars or planet parts are on the tile. The name of the donor is inscribed on the tile, also, as well as listed in the room.

Proceeds are dedicated to pay for the core library to be donated by USIS. Any funds raised over and above the core needs will be used for art, displays, and promotion. The core budget is about $25,000 per room. Optional additional materials can be contributed by friends of ours, of yours, or of the library. The Douglas County Library Board and district staff have expressed an intention to work closely with USIS and its library committee and Buzz and Lois Aldrin. Our committee will jury what contents go into the room. For the record, our library committee members are Dr. Bill Good, chairperson; Gary Rodriguez, co-chair; Dr. Buzz Aldrin; Mrs. Lois Aldrin; Dr. Henry Cheung; Dr Robert Zubrin; Mr. Larry Clark, (Lockheed Martin); Mr. Rafael Ponce (Canada); Mr. Jesus Raygoza (Mexico); Dr. Philip R. Harris; Mr. Ronald Lajoie, (Boeing); Mr. John Reynolds; and Mr. Declan J. O'Donnell⁴.

Every such project in every city or town must coordinate closely with the library board and its staff. This is particularly important in the area of fund raising because each library maintains a community outreach program. Harm could result from errors in this procedure.

Maintenance

Importantly, the library must agree to maintain the space room on its own budget. This would include checking materials out and returned; cleaning the room; providing Dewey Decimal Classification; and scheduling meetings in the room. All of this takes employee hours and incremental increased expenses. In Douglas County the library will also shelve Space Governance Journal, as well as other journal subscriptions and series updates. It will decide on new books to be purchased on an ad hoc basis with input from our committee. Introduction of these space related volumes into one branch of the state public library system is adequate for statewide usage. Each library system carries a referral procedure. Thus, a volume of Space Governance Journal placed at the Douglas County library in Castle Rock, Colorado, is easily accessible to a Denver library as well as to all other branches.

By agreement, any volumes culled out of the collection by the library staff under its usual policies on usage will be returned to our committee for usage at another library. We foresee a long term working relationship with every library in the program.

CONCLUSION

America endorses its space program, as established in NASA's survey showing an 85% approval rating, yet the space activist community is not growing as fast as it should.¹ Establishment of a Buzz Aldrin Space Place in your library may help promote our common mission by nurturing enthusiasm for space-related activities.

The ongoing maintenance of the room and its contents would be financed by the library and we would donate the core materials out of donations that we generate in coordination with the library. The Buzz Aldrin Space Collection will be maintained by our committee and participating library staffs for the benefit of students, space enthusiasts, and the general public. NSS literature will be included, especially the Ad Astra magazine. The outreach problems of our industry may be reduced for the long term with this new international program.

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