State Support for Libraries in Pennsylvania Cut Nearly 27%

Twenty percent cut in direct public library aid; advocates say it could have been worse

Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 10/12/2009

• At one point, 55% overall cut considered
• 20% cut in public library subsidies
• Big hits to stateside card, databases

After nearly 100 days of deadlock on the Pennsylvania state budget, legislators last week agreed to a compromise, including a 26.7% slash in state support for libraries, from $93,246,000 to $68,322,000, cutting back on direct public library aid and even more so on statewide services.

Given the national economic downturn, and particularly Pennsylvania’s painful situation, the cut was seen by library advocates as a “could have been worse” situation. At one point, a 55.3% cut was considered, and Philadelphia, anticipating a “doomsday” budget if the legislature refused to approve a new sales tax, planned to shut all its libraries down. (That was averted last month.)

Roller coaster budget
“[D]uring the eight months of this year’s budget roller coaster, our overall funding levels ranged from a potential highest total (all programs) of $81 million (Rendell/House Democratic plan) to a potential lowest total (all programs) of $42 million (Senate Republican plan.),” wrote Glenn Miller, executive director, Pennsylvania Library Association. “In the end, fortunately, our overall funding of $68 million ended much closer to the higher number than the lower.”

Among “the excruciating details” are a 20.1% cut in public library subsidies, a 47.8% cut in the State Library, and a 71.5% cut in Library Access (POWER Library, statewide card, interlibrary delivery) and the Electronic Library Catalog (Ask Here PA, Access PA database), which was merged into Library Access.

Big impact
“I know that these end results will not be pleasant at all for library staff, for services, and for library users,” Miller wrote. “At the same time, I also know we recognize—all of us—that this is the worst economy in Pennsylvania since the Great Depression and that state coffers lost a mind-numbing $3.2 billion in revenue just this past year.” 

“We will work with Deputy Secretary Clare Zales to try and minimize the damage to statewide programs and begin planning to rebuild services and funding,” he added. “The hit to the Public Library Subsidy was bad but not as severe as it could have been. We will also work with Clare Zales to see if it is possible to accelerate the payment dates for state aid.”

Miller reminded the library community that it could have been worse without advocacy. “We know that legislators heard our voices even in the face of this budget’s tidal wave of red ink,” he wrote. “I realize that it may not feel like it right now, but your advocacy made a huge, positive difference.”