What's impressive, first of all, about the public meeting about the proposed branch library closings is that it took place during office hours and by the Globe's estimate, four hundred people turned out to give 'em hell anyway. 



What strikes you immediately is the passionate intensity of those who oppose closings, and the utter lack of it in those running the show.  What they've got is cool certainty.  It's a budget crisis after all, and you can't argue with the bottom line, right?

But there's plenty of reason to believe that there's politics at play.  When board members can't even be bothered to articulate a coherent vision of the oldest branch system in America, and instead whine about how they don't have enough computers and there's no one to read books to kids at Story Hour, I think it's reasonable to ask if they're competent to sit on the board at all.

There's absolutely no reason why, under committed and competent management, with a collective vision that precludes the failure of any of its branches, the system should be experiencing a budget shortfall at all.  There is no reason there should be outdated technology and no volunteers to teach computer skills on-site or read to kids at Story Hour.  Aggressive outreach, fundraising, and creative partnerships are a basic part of any competently-run nonprofit.

The crisis is not primarily a budget crisis.  And it's not about libraries being made redundant by the internet, no matter how the city and BPL spin it to justify planned closures.  That it has come to this is the real crisis.  And it's a crisis of leadership.  The current leadership of this library system aligned with the leadership of the Mayor. 

I mean, it's no secret that the board of BPL is made up almost entirely of Menino appointees (granted, that's what happens when you're elected Mayor For Life).  You'll recall back in 2007, there was quite a kerfuffle when Menino's gang ousted then-President Bernard Margolis, who "accused the mayor of starving the city's 27 branch libraries of adequate funding and interfering with library operations."

So they do seem to have a vision, of sorts.

And this latest move seems the logical next step in Menino's vision for the Boston Public Library system.  Don't expect old Mumbles to articulate that vision clearly, but don't say you weren't warned. 

And let's not pretend it's merely the current budget crisis that's at fault.