State Library Agency and Collection in Minnesota Gutted

In a surprise move that drastically reduces state support for library services in Minnesota, the state Department of Children, Families, and Learning (CFL) on June 4 gutted the Office of Library Development and Services (LDS) and transferred its central functions. Six of nine positions supporting library development and the state library functions were cut as of June 28, and the state library collection was closed.

While the department was required by legislative mandate to cut about 13 percent of its budget, the disproportionate cuts left Minnesota librarians worrying about access to state library materials, library leadership and coordination, and an appropriate conduit for federal funds.

Peg Johnson-Werner, chair of the Minnesota Library Association (MLA) Legislative Forum, adjusted the schedule of the meeting, held just after the cuts, to discuss their impact. "We need to get the state library structure back into place," she said. Though other state library agencies have suffered cuts or been threatened, notably the Washington State Library (see News , LJ 4/15/02, p. 14ff.), this is the most drastic fate suffered by any state library. Meanwhile, Martha Gould and Joan Challinor, chair and vice chair of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, wrote CFL head Christine Jax asking for the decision to be reconsidered.

Library Development and Services Director Joyce Swonger, who was laid off, said the cuts were part of a general pattern of neglect from the parent department, which considers K–12 education its core function and inaccurately called the closed collection "our public library facility" (see cfl.state.mn.us/cj.html#qna ).

Swonger warned that the state's $2.6 million in federal Library Services and Technology Act funds might be jeopardized. The state library five-year plan, due to the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) by the end of July, was to be completed by a consultant not yet hired. Even with that, Swonger said, "I was probably going to ask IMLS for an extension. Now I don't see the resources left to support what the contractors need."

Counting a first round of cuts in February, the state library agency has gone from 25.1 to 14.5 FTE, losing more than 40 percent of the staff. However, most of those left work in the associated Library for the Blind, which was left intact. The three remaining LDS staffers have been moved to the Office of Management Services. The cuts were made without any consultation with staff or the LDS constituency, something Assistant Commissioner Ken Hasledalen attributed to state personnel regulations. Swonger said that managers may not have been able to talk to unionized staff but could have talked to her. She estimated the total savings to the state, including new rental income from the state library space, at $1 million.

Hasledalen said that because a good portion of the parent department is federally funded, state-funded positions were disproportionately affected. He focused on maintaining access to federal library funds and state grants. "If I do this right, with my reduced staff, the library community takes a limited hit," he said, acknowledging that libraries will lose "some customer service" provided by state library staffers.

Hasledalen acknowledged that his department couldn't immediately answer librarians' questions about the state library plan, nor questions about conduits for federal funding or access to the collection: "We're hoping to have enough support to fulfill some functions." He said the state couldn't afford the storage costs for the library collection. "We've gotten some interest from the library community to help us transition it to other libraries," he said.

At the MLA Legislative Forum, librarians formed the Minnesota Library Leadership Coalition, a 12-member group representing libraries of all types. While the coalition is not part of the MLA, MLA President Chris Olson serves as convener.

Johnson-Werner said the new coalition will urge library advocates to send letters to state and elected officials and has prepared a handout to be distributed to libraries statewide. She said the coalition also will work with state government to try to make the remaining library programs work. Also, the group will engage in strategic planning. "Perhaps CFL is not the best home for libraries in Minnesota," she said. "Do we ask to have the Office of Library Development and Services restored in the Department of Children, Families, and Learning or go elsewhere?"

"There was a lot of anger initially," Johnson-Werner said. "To regain six positions is difficult, but that will be our aim."