ALA, Libraries Brace for Cuts

The economic downturn is taking its toll on library budgets and the American Library Association (ALA). Indeed, ALA has cut $600,000 from its budget and planned for lower conference revenue “to reflect the anticipated impact of higher air fares and tighter travel budgets,” ALA executive director Keith Fiels said in a message posted on the ALA Council electronic mailing list. More details will be announced at the Midwinter Meeting in Denver in January.

Fiels's comments came during discussions about how ALA is responding to the national financial crisis. One ALA member indicated that numerous schools in the SUNY system will no longer reimburse staff for attending library conferences—and it's less likely individual members will dig into their own pockets.

Even before the crisis on Wall Street hit in late September, the National League of Cities (NLC) released its annual report on local fiscal conditions, finding that a 3.6 percent decline in property tax revenues is likely to affect city budgets until 2010. A decline in sales tax receipts and income tax revenues is also expected, leading 64 percent of respondents to expect tougher times.

According to the NLC, cities in the West are being hit hardest (74 percent report a downturn), followed by cities in the Midwest (67 percent), Northeast (61 percent), and South (53 percent). Municipalities of all sizes are in the same boat.

The Carnegie Library of Homestead (CLH), PA, one of only four libraries in the country built and endowed by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, is facing hard times, having laid off its library director and executive director (the latter managed the fitness club and music hall sharing the facility).

CLH board president Dan Lloyd told LJ that the layoffs were a short-term solution to a budget crunch, saving CLH $100,000. Lloyd said the library relied too much on its endowment. Now CLH is ramping up fundraising and trying to raise more revenue from the fitness and music facilities.

Trenton Public Library (TPL), NJ, will close its four branches and lose about half of its 57 FTE employees by November 1, unless it can raise $946,000. The city of Trenton plans to cut its contribution by ten percent to $3.14 million from last year's $3.49 million. However, union-mandated raises, rising utilities costs, and the loss of state aid have increased the gap.

At the September 23 city council meeting, according to the Trenton Times, residents and politicians alike made pleas to keep the branches open.

The budget news isn't all bad. The San Antonio Public Library's $29.9 million budget for FY08/09 includes a $5 million bump. about 25% of which is for materials and computers and the rest for capital projects. Over the past year, library supporters have mounted a strong advocacy campaign for the library.