Labor Day weekend, 2012.  Amid festivities, celebrations, and sentiments, I’m taking time to reflect on the holiday.  All those years that I was working, I confess it was just another day to be glad of the day off with pay.  But this year, especially in light of the attacks on labor unions and the rights of ordinary workers, I can’t help but wonder what will happen to Labor Day.  Is Labor Day 2012 the last one we will celebrate?

What does this have to do with libraries, you might ask? Well, many public and academic librarians are union members.  Additionally, as government and non-profit workers, they benefit from the advances labor unions have negotiated for all employees.  And finally, libraries are one of the tax-supported services threatened by recent tax cuts.

I worry about the future of Labor Day, labor unions, and libraries.