Impacts of decreased budgets in libraries

By: Lindsay Fricke

According to one survey, “Most libraries have still not recovered from the massive cuts inflicted since the financial crisis of 2008, and when this depressed starting point meets with the rapid evaporation of state aid and the inexorable rise of expenses, then the numbers often translate to stressed staffs, fewer materials, and reduced service hours” (Kelley, 2012).

So what happens when the budgets are decreased?

Kelley spoke with a librarian who said, “The worst impact of the budget cuts has been on the overall employee morale of the organization. With continued decreased funding resulting in a reduction in available service hours, the number of staff continues to decline.” (Kelley, 2012) In addition to this, each staff member is required to take on more responsibilities and work in order to accommodate the low staff number. As a result, libraries are not able to have enough funds to purchase new materials for their collections.

Who is affected by library budget cuts?

The first places that budget cuts are noticeable in are within the staff and the collections at a library. There are fewer workers staffed at the desks and most of the workers only work part-time. Libraries can reduce costs by not paying benefits and hiring nonprofessional staff, such as library assistants, to help in areas where professional librarians used to work. Additionally, the people who come to the library trying to obtain information are also going to be affected by the budget cuts. They come into the library expecting to be able to fully utilize the services offered. However, they will learn that they may only be able to get assistance through staff members because the materials and resources needed might not be available.

Reduced service hours

As a result of budget cuts, many libraries are reducing the amount of time that they are open. Kelley states, “The overall change in the number of weekly open hours per system was down another 2.2 hours over the last year, to an average of 49” (Kelley, 2012). Many libraries are finding that they cannot afford of the costs of staying open from the early morning to the late evening.

How libraries have changed

Here is a look at the percentages of how many libraries are dealing with staffing changes:

What funds are libraries using?

According to Kelley, “State funding is generally not a primary source for public library budgets. Nevertheless, state funding pays for the statewide systems that allow for regional resource sharing, consulting, and professional development.” (Kelley, 2012) Personally, I use MeL for many of the materials that I need for school as well as for my personal use.

How budgets are divided amongst populations

In Kelley’s article, he states, “Budget struggles, whether at the federal, state, or local level, hit larger library systems the hardest” (Kelley, 2010).

Here is the breakdown of budgets according to the population that the library serves:

•  10,000 to 24,999 reported an increase of 2.5%
•  500,000 to 999,999 reported a 2.7% reduction
•  1 million and higher reported a 1.8% reduction

Have you seen changes at your library where staff hours are being reduced? Has the library changed its hours as a result of not being able to afford costs of operating the library? Does your library use non-professionals because librarians take more of the budget due to salaries?

Have you seen any changes within the library that you work at or visit frequently that were discussed in this article? If so, what are some suggestions for libraries help offset the reductions in budgets?

References:

Kelley, M. (2012, January 1) The new normal: library budgets trend downward, though 52 percent expect an increase. Lack of support at state level adds to strain. Library Journal, 137 (1), 37+. Retrieved from http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/01/funding/the-new-normal-annual-library-budgets-survey-2012/