Bush to School Libraries: No Extra Money For You

President Bush’s farewell message to school libraries is very clear: no extra money for you next year. In his just-released 2009 budget, Bush proposed a funding hike for public libraries through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)—but he kept monies for the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program at $19.1 million, the same level as 2008.

“We’re very disappointed in [the President’s] decision, and we’re trying to work hard at the grassroots level to get that figure raised,” says Melanie Anderson, the American Library Association’s (ALA) assistant director of the Office of Government Relations.

But due to an election year, Anderson doesn’t expect Congress to approve the President’s budget before the 2009 fiscal year, which begins on October 1—and that means ALA will be working hard between now and then to convince members of the House and Senate appropriations committees about the importance of school libraries, says Anderson. Extra efforts will also be made during National Library Legislative Day in May, when library supporters descend on Capitol Hill to urge legislators to provide more funding for media centers, Anderson adds.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, the federal program provides funding to public school libraries to update collections, expand Internet connections, buy new technology, provide professional development for media specialists, and extend library hours. The program was funded at $19.5 million in FY 2006 and 2007, slightly more than its current level.

Meanwhile, public libraries across the country can expect another year of generous funding, thanks to a proposed 2009 increase in LSTA monies by President Bush.

The news—which comes at a time when domestic discretionary spending is severely restricted and funding for 151 programs is being cut or eliminated—will mean that many libraries across the country can continue providing key programs and services to their communities, such as bookmobiles and public access to the Internet.