Governor Proposes Big Cut

On January 29, Governor George Pataki proposed a reduction of $13.3 million in state aid to libraries. This amount, which represents a 14.8% cut in aid, will drop library funding to levels last seen in the late 1980s, a time when computers ran on DOS and there was no Internet.

Many other state programs, including Medicaid and aid to school districts, are also facing aid reductions due to the well-documented state fiscal crisis. However, these programs received steady increases in aid throughout the last decade, and are being cut from their 2002 funding levels. Because the governor and the state legislature have not increased library aid these last four years, libraries are being cut from a base year of 1998.

The timing of these cuts could not be worse. Economic hard times typically result in increased library use. Libraries have undertaken new roles in providing computer access to job seekers, students, and researchers. The Baby Boomlet has more children using public, school, and college libraries than ever before. Costs of traditional services such as books and magazines are far higher than they were in the 1980s, and other library costs such as electronic databases and network connections did not even exist back then.

The library community must now look to the state legislature to restore library funding to at least its 1998 levels. NYLA Legislative Day will occur on Tuesday, March 18 in Albany, and will provide an opportunity to explain to our elected representatives just how unfair these cuts are.

Rally On Capitol Steps

The NYLA Leg Committee is planning a one-hour Rally on Legislative Day, March 18, to draw attention to the issue of library aid. Plans are to meet at noon in Briefing Room 6 in the Concourse, and walk together as a group to the Capitol steps. The Rally itself will go from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. NYLA is working to get a good local turnout from Albanians, and of course, anticipates excellent turnout from library trustees and users from around the state.