Dear Joy Matusiewicz:
I have come up with several responses, not all of which work for letter writers. First, we stock Matthew Lesko in our circulating collection and in Reference. The ref copies require an id. When I hand them the book I explain we stock it so they don't waste their money.
Second, I put together a pathfinder on my library's website. Here's the path: www.tulsalibrary.org > Research Tools > Online Research Center > Business & Finance > Individuals looking for grants or assistance. Please feel free to use anything that would be useful.
For the letter writers, I write back sending a copy of the pathfinder. Since most of it is electronic, it won't help if they don't have a computer, so I add a couple of phone numbers for resources in their area.
I ask them to consider why they are having such money problems and suggest they VOTE accordingly. Most of them don't see the connection but some do.
I have FAXed some letters to Laura Bush.
Ruth Wiens
Tulsa City-County Library
