Let the bidding begin on Obama library

Uh, oh — the pressure’s on.

Illinois legislators are moving a plan to devote $100 million in state funds to help bring President Barack Obama’s presidential museum and library to Chicago — though a funding source is still undetermined. Among those backing the cause was Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s former chief of staff.

Hawaii, of course, is also a player in the Obama-library wooing pool. But how much we’re able to — and should — put into the presidential pot has yet to be publicly discussed. Illinois’ action certainly ups the ante.

Speaking of libraries …

When taxpayers stop using public institutions, they stop caring about those institutions. And when they stop caring, public funding dries up, making it even harder to provide decent programs and services.

Knowing that this vicious cycle exists makes it paramount that the leaders of the Hawaii State Library do more to address the legitimate concerns of patrons put off by the encroaching homeless population at what should be the gem of Hawaii’s public library system. Complaints about homeless people bathing and washing clothes in the library restrooms, for example, must be resolved swiftly.

It doesn’t take too many unwanted encounters before families and other folks cross the state library off the list of places they like to visit.