The Council Budget

In 1990, the State legislature passed a law to increase library funding over 3 years. This funding was not fully implemented until 1998. Library funding has not increased since then, and in the last two years, the Governor has attempted to decrease state funds to libraries. Last year, the Legislature over-rode his vetoes. It is not clear that they will do the same again this year with his 5% cut. We are planning on working with a budget that is back at the levels of 1997. The impact for us will include the following:

· We will not fill the vacant position of Manager of Resource Sharing.

· RBDB projects will all be cut by 5%. We have managed to renew the various databases made available to region al libraries only because the contract dates are staggered. But we will have to look seriously at cutting one of them in 2005 if the budget is not restored in 2005.

· Grants to hospital libraries will be cut from the Hospital Library Program funds.

· Academic libraries will receive less to purchase books in important subject areas.

· Rather than using our funds to provide free or no cost services, we will rely more heavily on passing on fees for service.

· Statewide, the receipt of LSTA funds will be impacted as they are dependent on NYS ensuring a maintenance of effort and not reducing state funds for libraries. The NOVEL databases and/or the LSTA grants we receive will be reduced.

We urge you to contact your state legislators to let them know how urgent it is for them to fund libraries and library systems adequately, to restore the funding the Governor has cut, and to increase funds to improve library services to the people of New York. Contact us or go to http://www.lakenet.org/scrlc/04advocacy.html to find out who you should contact and how. Thanks for your help! (JC)