After initially proposed decreases to libraries in some counties library advocates convinced county legislatures to either maintain - or in two cases - increase library funding for 2009.
The most serious situation was in Dutchess County, which would have been affected by a cut of 64% if the budget proposed by the County Executive had passed. Instead, the County Legislature restored the full $249,843, the amount distributed to libraries in 2008. The trickle-down of the Country funding to the Pleasant Valley Free Library in 2008 came to $6,117, which is only 2% of the total income of the Library but a 2% that would be almost impossible to replace, so it would have to come off the top of discretionary spending--i.e. books and other materials. Note that the 64% cut, had it come to pass and been applied equally across the library system, would have reduced the $6,117 to $2,202.
The other nearby counties also maintained their faith in the power of the public library. In Columbia County the Legislature maintained library funding at the 2008 level: $65,000. The Greene County Legislature also maintained library funding at the 2008 level. In Putnam, the County Legislature included a $16,000 increase that brought the total county funds for libraries up to $368,116. The Ulster County Legislature also included a $15,000 increase for libraries, bringing total county funds to $90,000 for next year.
It is widely believed that libraries are among the few institutions that prosper in economic downturns (proprietary schools are another). Certainly use goes up, so it would be counterproductive if funds went down. It is still not clear what will happen at the State level, but we can only hope that the New York State legislature understands the importance of libraries as well as the local counties do.
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