Florida Cooperatives Seek to Regain Lost State Funding
Staff -- Library Journal, 2/26/2001
Due to a bureaucratic oversight in Florida, the state's six regional multitype library cooperatives (MLCs) lost their annual state funding in Governor Jeb Bush's 2001-02 budget. One cooperative, North East Florida Library Network (NEFLIN), used its web site to alert the other MLCs that Bush's January 17 budget cut $1.2 million ($200,000 per MLC) of their support. Half of NEFLIN's budget comes from the state, with those monies needed to receive federal funding. NEFLIN Executive Director Brad Ward learned from Florida State Librarian Barratt Wilkins that the loss in funds was actually an omission. During March, the six MLC directors and Wilkins will meet with key legislators. Ward expects funding to be restored by the beginning of FY2001, which begins October 1. While the MLCs have been funded since 1992, the nonrecurring budget line must be reinstated every year.
