Libraries Make an Economic Difference

A new study from The University of Pennsylvania's Fels Institute of Government finds that public libraries in Philadelphia make a huge difference.

Just a few interesting nuggets show that in 2010, the library provided a value of:

• $2.2 million in career development book-reading & lending.


• $2.1 million in job-finding online activities, including workforce database usage
  and online job searching/prep.


• $1.7 million job-readiness and workforce-related programming.


• $2.9 million in business development online and database activities.


• $819,285 in business development book-reading & lending.


• $55,385 in business development programming.

Plus, homes within ¼ mile of a Library are worth, on average, $9,630 more than homes more than ¼
mile from a Library.

Recession Affects Library Use

A national study reporting on the public's use and perceptions about libraries will be released very soon. (Perceptions of Libraries, 2010)

It looks at how the economic recession has changed online habits and how library use has been affected.

Some of the report’s early findings show that:

• About a third of American families have experienced a negative job impact during the recent recession.
  
• The majority of Americans reported reductions in their consumer-buying behaviors, and, as a result, many Americans increased their library use.
  
• Economically impacted Americans are 50% more likely to visit the library at least weekly than those unaffected and are 20% more likely to hold a library card.
  
• Americans who reported a negative job impact are more likely to use a broader range of library services than those not impacted and find greater value with both the library and the assistance from the librarian.

Libraries Will Survive

A video making the rounds of libraries across the nation right now really captures the spirit of librarians and library boards facing cuts - yet again - as we begin to map out next year's budget is a lot of fun.

Inspired by the 1978 disco hit "I Will Survive", the lyrics were rewritten and performed by librarians at the Central Rappahannock Regional Library System in Virginia to proclaim support for libraries, especially when budgets are being cut.

What a hoot!

Camden NJ Libraries to Close?

This weekend, the library board in Camden NJ announced that it was making plans to close all three branches of the library in the city. The board president said that the library was preparing to donate, sell or DESTROY its collection that includes 187,000 books.

Now, today, according to an Associated Press story, the board said that it was investigating joining the county library system. However, this was no guarantee that the library or all its branches would remain open.

Sadly, the board found itself in this position after a 70% cut in funding.

I hope this isn't a harbinger of things to come.

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.

I Couldn't Have Said it Any Better

Much to my surprise and delight, today's Patriot-News published an Op-Ed that was positively brimming with goodwill and praise for the services public libraries in south central Pennsylvania provide each and every day.

Barbara K. Geistwhite, a Bosler Memorial Library patron, said that "America’s continued status as a world leader depends on an educated and free-thinking population. When we can access knowledge, we hold freedom in our hands."

She continued by noting that libraries in Pennsylvania are facing a funding crisis -- "just when we need them the most." Ms. Geistwhite concluded her Op-Ed with:

Yes, funding is tight these days, but that just makes library access all the more important. Those who now can’t afford to buy books or have access to the Internet need free public materials more than ever.

If the state can’t or won’t maintain funding, then we, the people, need to pick up the slack. Now is not the time to cut back on library hours or services.

Those who are well-off can make a conscious decision to channel resources into our libraries.

Those who are less well-off can decide to give up some unneeded pleasure and redirect the money, no matter how small the amount, to their local library.

Those who are not able to spare anything should be the first ones to go to their library and make use of one of the finest sources of free information available.

If you need a job, the library can help you. If you love to read and can’t afford the books, the library wants you to use theirs. If you just need a place to meet other people, visit your branch library.

I want to see this resource around for us and for future generations.

You and me both Barbara!

Library System Announces Closings

Today I had the unfortunate job of announcing reductions in library hours for two libraries - Fredricksen in Camp Hill and New Cumberland. (You can read all about the cuts here: Library System Announces Cuts (PDF, 91KB, 2 pages))

Both of these libraries were facing deficit budgets going into this year, but usually we can make up the difference by the end of the year. This year is very different.

Due to the state budget impasse, we didn't receive a a statewide library card reimbursement payment in August for about $150,000. This meant that Fredricksen didn't receive about about $40,000 and New Cumberland didn't get about $30,000. (These are funds the state pays us for providing library service to people from other counties.)

This is one of the programs that is on the chopping block now, with the current state budget agreement virtually eliminating this funding stream. Thus, we need to start making service changes now.

More cuts are in our future if the current state budget agreement goes through. CCLS stands to lose about $750,000.

If you care about your library services, please consider contacting your state legislator. To send a message to your legislator and the governor, go to the Pennsylvania Library Association's web site: http://www.capwiz.com/ala/pa/issues/alert/?alertid=13993771

Budget Deal Details Mean Big Library Cuts

This past weekend's state budget agreement calls for a 34% cut to basic library funding. Plus, the proposed cut for POWER Library, Ask Here PA, the statewide library card and interlibrary delivery is even bigger — 73%. This will eliminate POWER Library databases from schools and public libraries.

This means Cumberland County's libraries will lose about three quarters of a million dollars. Plus our kids won't have POWER library databases anymore at their school or public library.

WOW! It's hard to believe this kind of deal can be passed when libraries are busier than ever — helping people find jobs, families meet tight budgets, and retirees deal with shrinking savings.

In the first 3 months of this year, Cumberland County's libraries had:

• More than 45,000 people use our free high-speed Internet computers — a 33% increase from last year. (Libraries are a lifeline for the unemployed—the only place they can go to search and apply for jobs online.)
• 3258 people sign up for new library cards — a 13% increase from last year.

Cutting overall library funding 38% is not sharing the pain, but shouldering the burden.

If you care about your library services, make your voice heard now. It's not too late.

To send a message to your legislator and the governor, go to the Pennsylvania Library Association's web site: http://www.capwiz.com/ala/pa/issues/alert/?alertid=13993771

Help keep funding at current levels so that your library will be there when you need it most.

Governor Rendell Passionate for Libraries

This morning a large crowd of library supporters turned out at the East Shore Area Library in Harrisburg today for a news conference held by Governor Rendell on the topic of library funding in the state budget.

Dauphin County Library System (DCLS) director Rich Bowra and his team from DCLS did a wonderful job putting together the news conference in their very busy and crowded children's area:

• Rich spoke about how state funding is used at the local and district levels, and what the impact would be if the Senate's draconian cuts of 55% were approved.
• Governor Rendell spoke passionately about the importance of education, and how libraries played a critical role as educational and community centers for job hunters and children. He asked that library supporters contact their Senator and ask them to support library funding and the increased revenues needed in order to fund libraries.
• Dr. Pressman, a local pediatrician and DCLS library volunteer, spoke about his experiences and the importance of library services for young children.
• Governor Rendell then took questions from the news media.

To my knowledge, PCN, ABC27, WHP21 and the Governor's own in-house film crew were filming, so look for news footage to air on TV tonight. In addition to TV, news reporters from the AP and Patriot News were present, so stories should also appear there.

Kudos to Dauphin County Library System staff for a job well done!

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.

Email Notices - Great Service & Great Money Saver

About 2 years ago, the Cumberland County Library System was among the first library systems in Pennsylvania to start sending out our notices via email. This includes notices for overdue items, things that are ready for pick-up, or reminders that your items are due in two days.

This service has been a real favorite among our customers. In fact, it's probably one of the things that I receive the most favorable comments about each week.

Even better, not only have email notices become a customer favorite, but they have also resulted in some big savings for the library system. Since funding is getting tighter and we are busier than ever, finding ways to save staff time and money have become even more essential.

With email we've not only been able to reduce printing and mailing costs, but we've also been able to free up staff to do other things. Last year alone, we sent out about 320,000 email notices to customers. If we had mailed all those notices out, each one could have cost us $.42 in postage. That's a $134,000 savings right there in postage.

If you would like to try this service, fill out the form at:

http://cumberlandcountylibraries.org/forms.aspx?FID=67

Surge in Library Use

We thought we were busier, and we are!

For the past five years or so, the Cumberland County Library System has ranked first among all county library systems in Pennsylvania for the number of books borrowed by person (library circulation per capita).

But, since the economy took a nose dive, we have been even busier. Our first quarter numbers are in, and they show quite an increase:

	1st Qtr 2009	1st Qtr 2008	% Change
Library Catalog Search Sessions	3,087,668	1,112,707	177% Increase
People Using Computers	45,867	34,436	33% Increase
Library Card Holders	130,008	98,249	24% Increase
Materials Borrowed	683,817	653,127	5% Increase

Why all this increased demand for the library?

The reasons vary, but most point to tighter family budgets, job seeking, personal skills development, student literacy or a need for inexpensive leisure-time resources.

Library Use is Up Nationwide

A month or so ago I reported that library use in Cumberland County had increased sharply in these tough economic times. We expect that trend to continue.

Well, MSNBC's Brian Williams reported that this same story is being played out in communities across America this week.

In "Libraries Offer Free Relief in Tough Times" Brian Williams reported (in a seemingly astonished tone of voice) that libraries are "a place where you can actually get books free, then return them for the next user."

Surely he knew this already!

Bad Money -- What's Happening to Our Economy

If you are like me and need some insight into what is happening to the nation's economy, a good book to read is Bad Money: Reckless Finance, Failed Politics, and the Global Crisis of American Capitalism by Kevin Phillips.

The book has gotten great reviews by people who know more about the economy than I do. And, while I must confess that I don't understand all of it, what I do understand is providing me with some much needed background and insight into what we are facing as a nation — and, it's not pretty.

Economy Falls - Library Use Increases

Librarians all know that when the economy falls, library use increases. For the year, we had been seeing about a 5% increase in the number of items borrowed from Cumberland County's public libraries.

However, when I took a look at the numbers today, even I was astonished.

In September 2008, the number of items borrowed from Cumberland County's public libraries increased 14% from the previous year.

That's the single highest monthly increase that I've ever seen in my 16 years on the job.

I don't know of a clearer indicator of what is happening in our community than that.