2003 budget doom wrap-up

Citation

Fitzsimons, E. (2003), "2003 budget doom wrap-up", The Bottom Line, Vol. 16 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/bl.2003.17016dab.002

2003 budget doom wrap-up

Keywords: Library users, Public libraries, School libraries, Government, Local government, Public sector accounting

The news about the US economy continues to be dismal. According to the latest figures, in almost every state the budget crises are prolonging the weak recovery of the overall economy; states have cut between $20 billion and $40 billion from their budgets over the past two years, and billions more in cutbacks are built into the 2003/2004 budgets (Uchitelle, 2003). In the month of July, 44,000 positions were eliminated from the work place, and although the unemployment rate fell from 6.4 per cent in June to 6.2 per cent, it is because more people have actually stopped looking for jobs owing to dim prospects (Altman, 2003).

And, the financial doom gauge registers high for most libraries. For many libraries new sources of funding will be crucial for continued survival. American Libraries Online posted an article "Recession 2003: libraries confront budget crisis with cutbacks and closures" (Flagg, 2003) in January of this year and in August ran a sequel: "Recession 2003: more cutbacks and closures" (Eberhart, 2003). By July, a letter went out informing librarians that the "average increase for Elsevier's core journals program will be 'approximately 6.5 per cent'€" for 2004. In the Elsevier letter, it was emphasized increases were averaged and that particular titles might increase more or less than 6.5 per cent (Library Journal [LJ], 2003a). In addition, with the Supreme Court decision on 23 June upholding the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), libraries have to deal with the cost of purchasing the filtering software, and, if they receive federal subsidies, whether they can afford not to (Goldberg, 2003). To cope with all of these challenges, some libraries are establishing new fees or raising those already in place; some are turning to users and Friends of the Library; some are appealing the budgets.

In addition to the current deficits in state budgets and local budgets, many libraries are still trying to recover from the cuts of the past several years. All aspects of library operations are affected: hours, staffing, collections, programs, and for some, existence. This comes at a time when more people are using libraries. An ALA study, albeit a small study, found that as the economy worsens, circulation increases (Lynch, 2002).

Case examples: the woes of state and local budgets

California is a spectacular example of library cuts (as well as being spectacular on the evening news this August). Governor Gray Davis signed a budget that slashes library funding by about 50 per cent, from $52 million down to $22 million. What does this mean for California libraries? The California State Library in Sacramento may have to cut 30 staff positions. Hours may have to be cut for the Fillmore branch of the Ventura County Library from 24 hours weekly to eight hours or fewer. In San Bernardino, concerned residents were able to convince the county board that rather than closing the three smallest branches entirely, they could spread the cuts over the system, cutting the hours at all branches and eliminating bookmobile service (Eberhart, 2003). The University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) will be canceling over 1,400 academic journals and database subscriptions, and they have been warned that there may be additional mid-year cuts, given the crisis in the California budget (LJ, 2003b). And so on, not only throughout the state, but throughout the nation.

For example, Tennessee law requires libraries to maintain funding at certain levels to receive state support. So libraries that have lost local funding are in danger of punitive actions from the state library. Edwin Gleaves, the state librarian, has warned the Dickson County commissioners to restore $50,000 to the library budget or he will remove about 20,000 books from the shelves, or about 25 per cent of the collection. At the White House, the library budget was cut $12,000; if that is not restored, the library stands to lose about 9,000 books, over half of its collection (LJ, 2003c).

The Haverhill (Massachusetts) Public Library has been ordered to cut 17 per cent of staff, including technical service department head, literacy and community outreach coordinators, a children's room assistant, a behavior specialist, and custodial workers, and almost all of its of its programs, including Internet classes, adult learning, and book groups. Workday hours have been reduced, and the library will be closed on Sundays and open only one Saturday per month. If the funding is not restored, the library will no longer meet state certification requirements and could be closed on 15 August. The library is appealing to the public by posting a petition on its Web site so users can request that funding be restored. The library also asked users to attend a city council meeting on 11 August, at which, the library budget will be discussed (LJ, 2003d).

In the Northeast, the board of the Tacoma (WA) Public Library is considering closing the main facility and six branches on Mondays to maintain services in spite of having their two-year budget allocation of $20 million reduced by $837,000. The Seattle Public Library will repeat its successful furlough program, initiated in 2002, by furloughing its staff the week of 25-31 August and for a week again in the spring. This is supposed to save up to $1 million and should prevent layoffs (LJ, 2003e).

In the midst of all of this, some libraries have been fortunate enough to receive funding, such as in San Diego, where the city council was able to find extra funding to keep on library branch open in each of eight council districts in spite of a shortfall of $30 million.

Although Ohio state support for libraries in 2004 was frozen at the 2003 level of about $453 million, and there could be cuts coming in 2005, it was still far better than the early drafts of the budget, which would have eliminated it completely (Eberhart, 2003).

There have also been some innovative responses. When dealers at the Ventura Auto Center found out that the Ventura county library was going to have to cut its hours and close its heavily used homework center, they paid the entire shortfall of $67,000 (AL, 2003). The Oakland (CA) Public library handled its reduced book funds by posting a wish list on Amazon.com and by late June had received donations totaling more than 600 volumes, including some international donations. Burlingame Public was able to collect about 420 donated volumes from its wish list (Eberhart, 2003).

It is clear that libraries are struggling more than ever. Fortunately, it is extremely easy to find not only news items but also advice on dealing with budget cutbacks in the library press; for example, Susan Curzon's (2003) tips for dealing with budget shortfalls, which will help one think creatively about the situation. And, while the financial situation looks truly bleak, it is also clear that at every level there are staff, patrons, and boards dedicated to finding keeping the libraries open.

Eileen Fitzsimons Fitzsimons Editorial Services

ReferencesAltman, D. (2003), "Job losses in July add to mixed signs on the economy", New York Times, 2 August, Sec. A, p. 1, Col. 1.Curzon, S.C. (2003), "Budget shortfalls", Library Journal, Vol. 128 No. 9, 15 May, pp. 34-5.Eberhart, G.M. (2003), "Recession 2003: libraries confront budget crisis with cutbacks and closures", American Libraries (News), August, pp. 20-5.Flagg, G. (2003), "Recession 2003: libraries confront budget crisis with cutbacks and closures", American Libraries Online (News), 15 January, available at: www.ala.org/al_online (published in American Libraries as "Libraries confront budget crises with cutbacks and closures", February, pp. 14-18).Goldberg, B. (2003), "Supreme Court upholds CIPA", American Libraries (Special News Report), pp. 12-14.Library Journal (2003a), "Breaking news", 22 July, available at: http://libraryjournal.reviewsnews.com/indexLibrary Journal (2003b), "Breaking news", 7 August, available at: http://libraryjournal.reviewsnews.com/indexLibrary Journal (2003c), "Breaking news", 31 July, available at: http://libraryjournal.reviewsnews.com/indexLibrary Journal (2003d), "Breaking news", 11 August, available at: http://libraryjournal.reviewsnews.com/indexLibrary Journal (2003e), "Breaking news", 29 July, available at: http://libraryjournal.reviewsnews.com/indexLynch, M.J. (2002), "Connection between recession and increased circulation", American Libraries, August, pp. 62-3.Uchitelle, L. (2003), "Red ink in states beginning to hurt in economic recovery", New York Times, 28 July, Sec. A, p. 1, Col. 6.