eBooks Coming Soon?

Like many of you, the Cumberland County Library System is closely watching the eBook market to see how quickly our community adopts Kindles, Nooks, Kobos and Sony eReaders. Right now, eBook sales make up about 5% of the total market. And, we expect that number to grow after this year's holiday gift-giving season is over.

So, what are we doing about eBooks? Well, right now, the library system has no immediate plans to begin purchasing them. This is caused by two reasons.

First, the commercial e-book market for libraries is evolving — almost daily — and right now vendors can't sell us eBooks that could be used by all types of eBook readers. For example, libraries can't buy eBooks that are compatible with the most popular reader on the market, Amazon's Kindle. So, if we were able to buy eBooks right now, we'd be frustrating a lot of people who are using Amazon's Kindle.

Second, continued state budget cuts have reduced our new materials budget significantly. This year alone we lost 20% ($142,000) from our new book budget. With the loss of 11% more of our state support in 2011, we expect even more cuts for new materials next year. And, investing in eBooks isn't cheap. It would require at least $20,000 to get started. This is money that we don't have on hand right now.

However, the news is not all bleak.

If you have an eReader that is compatible with library eBooks, you can still get eBooks from the Free Library of Philadelphia at no charge! They can provide this service because they receive state funding to be one of our Statewide Resource Centers.

To make this happen, just register online for a free library card from the Free Library of Philadelphia.

In a week or so, you will receive your card in the mail, and then you can begin downloading Philadelphia's eBooks (and eAudios too!)

Let me know how you like them!

A 24-Year Budget Set Back

Where were you in 1986?

The Cumberland County Library System has received its projected Public Library Subsidy figures from the state.

We will be losing at least $105,881. This is actually slightly less ($175) than what we had previously thought. (Gee, I wonder how many books $175 will buy?)

CCLS’s state support in 2011 is expected to be 1,059,571.

This brings us back to state funding levels not seen since the year 2000 — 11 years ago.

Or, if you look at funding from the Statewide Library Card Reimbursement program, which reimbursed us for library use from people who live in other counties (like York, Adams, Dauphin, Franklin and Perry counties), it brings us back to 1986 funding levels — 24 years ago.

I'll bet there aren't many other state programs that have received those kinds of cuts.

And, even more ironically, all of this comes at a time when we are busier than ever with customer requests, programs and services.

State Funding Cut - Again!

The budget that Governor Ed Rendell will sign today includes a 9.1% cut for the public library subsidy.

CCLS has not received final figures, but it is clear that we will need to cut at least $106,056 next year.

Oddly enough, it seems that library advocates' message about the importance of the statewide library card program and POWER Library databases was heard. The line item for these two programs was increased $30,000.

However, that amount is really a drop in the bucket. CCLS alone lost $288,780 in support from the statewide library program in this year; so a $30,000 increase for the state program isn't going to make much of a difference for Cumberland County citizens.

This latest state budget just continues a three-year trend of cuts for library services:

• In 2009, CCLS lost approximately 9% or $163,430 of its state support.
• In 2010, CCLS lost 33% or $594,712 in state support. Plus, we lost approximately $138,000 in state-subsidized services such as POWER library databases. This is a total of $732,712 lost in 2010.
• In 2011 CCLS will lose 9% or $106,056 of its state support, plus approximately $138,000 in state-subsidized services (POWER Library databases). This is a total projected loss of $244,056 in 2011.
• This brings the total value of state services and payments lost since 2009 to $1,141,198 in Cumberland County

There is no doubt that library service in Cumberland County will be even more strained next year.

E-Books at CCLS?

Last week, one of our members emailed me to ask when was the Cumberland County Library System going to start supporting the Sony e-book reader.

Very good question! Unfortunately, I don't have a good answer.

The commercial e-book market for libraries is slowly evolving, and there isn’t a clear platform that would be compatible with all readers. So, we are reluctant to make an investment that may not be worth much in a few years.

However, the bigger problem right now is the library system’s fiscal situation.

Our budget for new materials was cut by more than $142,000 this year, about 1/5th of our total budget. In addition, we had to cut 2076 hours of service from our operating hours this year, closing 3 libraries an entire day during the week.

So, it is even more difficult for us to buy any kinds of new material formats.

That being said, I remain hopeful that once the economy turns around, our library budget improve. So, my best guess is that we will be supporting eBooks within the next 5 years.

In the meantime, here's a list from "Technology to Software" of their top 12 sites for free e-books.

State Budget Threatens Library Funding - Again

In February, Governor Rendell proposed a 2% cut to the state’s library support for 2011. This cut was passed by the state House of Representatives last week and is now waiting for state Senate action (HB2279).

Meanwhile, the Cumberland County Library System is busier than ever before. More access to libraries is needed — not less.

If you care about funding for public libraries, please contact your state legislator and the Governor. Ask them to:

1. Restore Library Access with $3 million, including POWER Library (online reference databases) and the Statewide Library Card program. In Cumberland County, library members used 305,002 POWER Library journal and newspaper articles, books and references to answer their questions last year.
2. Increase general library appropriations 5% to meet growing public demand. Last year, visits to Cumberland County’s libraries increased 5% from 2008 (more than 1.3 million visits) — and computer use increased by 18% (more than 185,000 logins).

For more information and to send an email message to Governor Rendell and your state legislator, you can visit the Pennsylvania Library Association’s Legislative Action Center.

Or, you can use our use our list of state officials to write your own letter or make a quick telephone call.

Bad News Doesn't Make for Happy Blogging

My last post to Libraries, Books and Technology was December 1, 2009. It's now February 3. A little more than two months later. So, where have I been?

I suspect I fell into a funk because of all the bad library news that was about to be made public for the Cumberland County Library System:

• Three libraries - Amelia, New Cumberland and East Pennsboro- needing to close an entire week day, plus reduce their daily hours throughout the week.
• New book, audio and DVD budgets being slashed by huge amounts: $142,748 -- down 19% from the previous year.
• Hours being reduced at most of our other libraries, plus most libraries are closed a few more holidays throughout the year.
• State-funded resources like POWER Library taking a beating. (By my count today, 21 POWER databases have or are about to disappear...How will our students complete homework assignments?)

All of this is distressing because it affects our service to you. At a time when citizens are relying on us even more -- last year you borrowed 2,759,871 books, audios, and DVDs from our collection, up 4% from the prior year.

However, all through this latest round of belt-tightening, I'm proud to say that we have worked hard to try and maintain our services within our resources. Like you, staff are a little stressed in this economic downturn. But, we'll do our best to continue making your library system the best it can be.

Thanks for your continued support!

Libraries, Schools Follow Budget Talks|abc27 News

Last week abc27 visited Fredricksen Library in Camp Hill to interview us on how the proposed state budgets might affect library services.

Our situation is very serious. Under the worst scenario proposed to date, the Cumberland County Library System would lose more than $750,000 in direct state payments, plus about $250,000 in state subsidized services like the summer reading program, POWER library databases for students, interlibrary delivery and online reference service.

Two library patrons, James Alton and John Barns, were also interviewed about how the budget cuts might affect their library use.

To find out what you can do to prevent these cuts from happening, visit: Advocate for Your Library: What You Can Do

You can see the full abc27 story at:

Libraries, Schools Follow Budget Talks|abc27 News

Governor Proposes New Cuts

At the end of last week, Governor Rendell announced revisions to his proposed budget for 2009-2010. It included bad news for libraries.

Originally, Governor Rendell proposed a 5% cut. Now, he proposes a 16% cut that includes cuts to other important library programs like the state's POWER library databases for students, interlibrary delivery, and more. Rendell still calls for chopping state library services 50%.

Proposals from the General Assembly aren't any better. The Senate calls for 50% cuts. If state funding is cut that much, Cumberland County will immediately lose about $750,000, plus many services provided by the state.

This comes at a time when public libraries are busier than ever across the state. While I understand that the state has difficult budget decisions to make, it's hard to understand why libraries are being cut when libraries are supporting the very people that need the most help: families on a tight budget, people looking for new jobs or education to improve their lives.

You can see many of our own customer's comments about how important the library is at: http://cumberlandcountylibraries.org/index.aspx?NID=855

Please consider contacting your legislators and the Governor about this. Let them know that library services are important to you.

Library System Board Adopts 2008 Budget

In 2008, the Library System’s Administrative Office is projected to receive $4,772,600 in county and state tax revenue. This is an increase of 1.7%.

Of these funds:

• 61% ($2,904,025) will be distributed directly to member libraries;
• 27% ($1,296,260) will be used to provide library services from the system's administrative Office (for more information on these expenditures, see below);
• 10% ($463,344) will be transferred to the Strategic Development Fund;
• 1.6% ($75,000) will be designated as a Technology Fund for future integrated library system software upgrades;
• Less than 1% (.7% or $33,971) will be transferred to fully fund the system’s 90-Day Contingency Fund.

In addition to the state and county funds listed above ($1,296,260) the administrative office will also receive $184,009 in revenue from federal Library Services and Technology grants, interest revenue and miscellaneous gifts, plus have a carryover balance of $91,661. This brings the total amount of money available for 2008’s administrative office expenditures to $1,572,290.

The adopted 2008 administrative office budget for the library system has six components, totaling $1,523,614 in expenditures:

1. Computer Services — Computer services are largest percentage of the administrative office budget ($510,436 or 31%). These services directly offset member library costs for supporting computers. Costs include staff and computer hardware/software upgrades, maintenance and telecommunications costs for the county’s 300-PC wide area network using Horizon library management software for circulation, cataloging, online public access catalogs, and Internet services.
2. Technical Services — 27% of the budget ($447,671) provides member libraries with 'back-office' support for the purchase, cataloging and processing of library materials. These services directly offset member library costs for staff and bibliographic database support fees. Cataloging services are used by all member libraries.
3. Direct Library Services — 16% of the budget ($262,310) is used to provide direct library services. Costs include health insurance reimbursements for an estimated 29 full-time and 4 part-time staff members, online reference databases, Internet services, library supplies (e.g. library cards, book jackets, labels, audio/DVD cases, etc.), library delivery services, advertising, printing and programming.
4. Administrative and Advocacy Services— 7% of the budget ($117,271) is for administrative and advocacy services. Costs include staff, training, mileage reimbursement and professional services not directly associated with a particular service area. Activities include service planning, coordination and evaluation, bookkeeping, policy development, advocacy and public relations.
5. Staff & Board Training Services — 6% of the budget ($101,835) provides training services for staff and trustees at all member libraries. In 2007, approximately 360 member library staff were trained — most of whom were new employees. Costs include staff, professional collection and training materials, staff development and workshop fees.
6. STAR Outreach Services — 4% of the budget ($69,338) provides STAR Services for about 200 homebound Cumberland County seniors and 55 senior facilities. STAR (Service to Adult Readers) provides free, personalized selection and delivery of large print and audio book library materials. Costs include staff and large print and audio library materials.

For more information on library system finance, including detailed budgets, budget analysis and audits, check out the About Us page on the library system' website..