Citation
Fitzsimons, E. (2001), "Other cuts for the nation's libraries", The Bottom Line, Vol. 14 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/bl.2001.17014cab.003
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2001, MCB UP Limited
Other cuts for the nation's libraries
Other cuts for the nation's libraries
Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee cut funding for public libraries by nearly 70 percent in his revised 2002-2003 budget. He had originally proposed completely eliminating state funds for libraries, which provoked opposition from the state legislature. According to the office of the Arkansas state librarian, completely eliminating library funding would have meant a 6 to 50 percent reduction in operating budgets for the 235 libraries in the state's 75 counties. Huckabee's final proposal included a compromised $3.4 million cut. For the many libraries that have relied on state funding since 1937, this is still a severe blow. Because the new fiscal year begins in July, libraries will have little chance to seek local funding to recover shortages. http://www.ala.org/alonline/news/2001/010416.html#lsta
Facing a tightening budget for 2002, Baltimore's Enoch Pratt Free Library announced that it will be closing up to ten of its 26 branches over the next few years, five of them – yet to be determined – by the end of this summer. The branches slated for closure are located throughout the city and selected mainly on the basis of low usage, small size, and renovation costs. It is estimated these closings will save an annual $1.1 million in operating costs. Although there are no plans for lay-offs, staff size will be reduced through attrition. According to Library Director Carla Hayden, the library is exploring plans to build large regional libraries with state-of-the-art technology in each quadrant of the city. This is in preference to renovating branches that are essentially obsolete and too expensive to bring up to minimal standards. An $8 million, 45,000 square foot facility is already planned for Highlandtown in the southeast. http://www.ala.org/alonline/news/2001/010416.html#lsta