<html>
<head>
<style><!--
.hmmessage P
{
margin:0px;
padding:0px
}
body.hmmessage
{
font-size: 10pt;
font-family:Tahoma
}
--></style></head>
<body class='hmmessage'><div dir='ltr'>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Neighbors,</SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">According to Ms. Barbara Simon, the regional president of the Prince George's County Friends of the Library, the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System has been instructed by the county (Rushern Baker) to trim its budget by about 15% or $2.5 million. The county reportedly says these cuts should be accomplished by eliminating staff positions. In response Kathleen Teeze, Director of PGCMLS, has said that such cuts would necessitate closing one or more library branches. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Please take a few minutes to write a message in support of the library to our county officials. Ask them to not cut the system’s budge, or close libraries or cut staff positions to balance the budget. Tell them why the library is important to you and your family (if you have one).<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">E-mail your letters to Rushern Baker (County Executive) and the county council. Their e-mail addresses follow:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><A href="mailto:countyexecutive@co.pg.md.us"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">countyexecutive@co.pg.md.us</SPAN></A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><A href="mailto:EOlson@co.pg.md.us">EOlson@co.pg.md.us</A></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><A href="mailto:councildistrict5@co.pg.md.us">councildistrict5@co.pg.md.us</A></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><A href="mailto:Councildistrict8@co.pg.md.us">Councildistrict8@co.pg.md.us</A></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><A href="mailto:MTurner@co.pg.md.us">MTurner@co.pg.md.us</A></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><A href="mailto:CouncilDistrict6@co.pg.md.us">CouncilDistrict6@co.pg.md.us</A></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><A href="mailto:WACampos@co.pg.md.us">WACampos@co.pg.md.us</A></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><A href="mailto:CouncilDistrict1@co.pg.md.us">CouncilDistrict1@co.pg.md.us</A></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><A href="mailto:KRToles@co.pg.md.us">KRToles@co.pg.md.us</A></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><A href="mailto:MFranklin@co.pg.md.us"><FONT color=#800080>MFranklin@co.pg.md.us</FONT></A></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Also, there are two budget hearings scheduled for Wednesday, February 6<SUP>th</SUP> (tonight!), 7 p.m., Friendly High School, 10000 Allentown Rd., Fort Washington and Tuesday, Feb. 12th, 7:00 pm, Laurel High School, 8000 Cherry Lane, Laurel. If you would like to speak at one of these hearings, call the county in advance (Call M-F, 8:30-4:00 PM 301-952-4547). <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Thanks.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Bart Lawrence<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Hyattsville, MD<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> </div></body>
</html>