How will library cuts affect you?
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- December
- 24
How have you used your library recently? How has the library helped your family? The New York Library Association wants to know — and so do we.
You see, libraries around the state expect to seriously cut hours and services to deal with the state’s slashing of $18 million in Library Aid for 2009-10, says NYLA director Michael J. Borges in a news release which he blasted through emails. And this comes at a time when libraries in every community are noticing increased usage from the community.
The cuts would bring state library aid to the 1993 level, said Borges who is urging the association and local groups to fight the cuts.
“Libraries continue to be targeted for disproportionate cuts to solve the state’s budget problems. We are willing to do our part, but an 18 percent cut in funding is both unfair and counter-productive,” he said.
The cuts will fall heavily on the 73 library systems, such as Westchester Library System, Mid=Hudson Library System and the Ramapo-Catskill Library System in our Hudson Valley region, which Borges described as “the backbone of our libraries and information infrastructure.” The systems provide libraries with shared services, like inter-library loans, centralized cataloging, website hosting and staff training — and represents resource sharing in a cost-effective and efficient manner that saves every community money.
According to NYLA, president-elect Barak Obama used resources at the New York Public Library o find his job as a community organizer in Chicago. His job search was the subject of a 2005 American Libraries magazine article, which was recently cited in a Nov. 10, 2008 Daily News editorial.
So, email me with examples of how you use your library in your community. I’ll share your ideas and send them to the library association. My email is bnackman@LoHud.com
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, December 24th, 2008 at 3:12 pm by Barbara Nackman.
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