By Dave Lucas
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-970673.mp3
Albany, NY – Public Libraries across New York are being forced to make cutbacks as funding gets harder to obtain in the stagnant economy. Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.
Like most of us, public libraries are being impacted by the harsh financial times. One third of the union members employed at New York State's busiest branch library, the Queens Public Library, face losing their jobs as a result of a 30 per cent cut in New York City's executive budget.
Libby Post is President of Communication Services, a firm that works to help position libraries and link them with resources. She explains four different types of libraries exist in New York State.
Public support is the backbone of any library system - Lisa Matte is the Director of the Jervis Public Library in Rome, New York - the small city library is funded equally by the county and the city, with a third leg of funding coming from school district taxpayers.
The library was forced to cut back its hours as well as its budget for materials and programs offered to the public.
The City of Albany recently rebuilt almost every city branch and appeared to be on the fast track, until this month when citizens rejected the library's $9.56 million proposed 2012 budget, which bore a 25 percent property tax increase. A re-vote has been scheduled to take place over the summer. Critics are up in arms after the Library Board decided to restrict the July 19th vote to a single polling place - the main branch. Albany County Legislator Brain Scavo says residents in his district are concerned the library tax will keep going up.
If the revised budget is rejected, the Albany public library is likely to impose cuts on both staff and hours. Calls to library officials were not returned.
Libby Post says one of the biggest problems facing ALL libraries is the notion they're obsolete.
Proponents of public libraries argue they are a vital community resource, critical to municipal, educational, and cultural needs.