PA Libraries Reeling Under Budget Cuts
Gov. Rendell fails to restore 50 percent cuts to libraries; layoffs, shorter hours to ensue
By Walter Minkel -- School Library Journal, 2/1/2004
Bucks County Free Library, for example, plans to lay off 20 members of its 190-person staff, cut night and evening hours in almost all of its branches, and reduce its materials budget by half, to $450,000. Janice Trapp, director of the 10-library James V. Brown Library in Williamsport, has been forced to close on Sunday and on Thursday evenings, shut down a bookmobile, and eliminate a systemwide effort to train local teachers in the use of online library resources. However, Trapp refuses to cut storytimes and the popular Tutor.com homework help service, saying children's services are "our top priority."
Believe it or not, the state's funding woe's were a lot worse. Governor Edward Rendell originally proposed cutting state aid to public libraries by 50 percent in his 2003–2004 state budget. But a final budget signed by the governor on December 23 reinstated $10 million of the original $37.5 million cut. The next step for Pennsylvania's public librarians is to continue lobbying the governor and the legislature, while planning a new marketing campaign that promotes the role of public libraries in boosting student learning. On April 14, the Pennsylvania Library Association will hold a conference in Harrisburg to discuss ways to focus public and legislative attention on how public libraries help children learn to read
