Struggling Libraries A Sign of Cultural Deterioration

“In a time of turbulence and change, it is more true than ever that knowledge is power” ~ John Fitzgerald Kennedy

The failing economy has finally reared its ugly head in the direction of Eccles-Lesher Memorial Library. This past January, Eccles-Lesher Memorial Library received word from our primary funding source, The Eccles Foundation, that we would only be receiving 67% of the funds we received last year. I realize Eccles-Lesher Memorial Library has had it much better than many other libraries out there, but this is still a huge cut. As a result, the Board of Trustees for the library has had to take immediate action to cut costs. Effective immediately, the library will now be closed two days a week: Wednesdays and Sundays. We also have had to decrease our staff. Unfortunately we have also had to give up our Outreach programming which involved our Children’s Director, Nancy Shanafelt, traveling to local pre-schools and child care centers to read books and do crafts with the children. Those children will no longer receive that outside programming.

We have also had to raise fees for our services. Thus far, these are the changes:

• Copies used to be 10 cents per page – now they are 25 cents
• Computer print outs used to be 10 cents for black and white, 25 cents for color – now they are all 25 cents per page
• Faxes to 800 or local numbers were free – now we must charge a $1 fee (regardless of number of pages). Faxes sent to other numbers are still $1 per page.
• If anyone has a fax sent to the library and they do not come pick it up, the cost of the fax will be applied to their library card account. If the person does not have a library card through us, then we will suspend further services to that person until those previous fees are paid.

This is just the beginning. Further cuts, restrictions, and fee increases are imminent. With the alterations discussed above we only recover 4.92% of the 33% that we have lost. That leaves Eccles-Lesher Memorial Library struggling to find ways to replace over 28% of our funding that we still need to operate at the level our patrons and users have grown accustomed to and expect.

Some individuals will be upset over these increases in fees, but consider this: Our printer takes 4 separate ink cartridges to operate at full capacity. Each cartridge costs nearly $300. That’s a total cost of nearly $1,200 just to have the ability to print. In comparison 25 cents doesn’t seem so bad. The same goes for our other equipment including our copier, fax machine, laminator, etc. The costs come from the materials needed. Unfortunately with these budget cuts we lose our ability to cover these costs ourselves.

In 2008 Eccles-Lesher Memorial Library circulated over 28,000 items. On average, a typical item costs around $20 (a new best-selling book, new DVD, etc.). If each person who borrowed materials had gone out and purchased those items themselves that would have cost those individuals collectively roughly $540,000. How much is a library card? Free! Unless you live outside the Clarion County Service Area. In those rare cases we have to charge a non-resident fee of $10.00 per family, per year. It’s political and statistical.

In 2008, nearly 8,000 people utilized our computer lab, and that figure only counts the individuals who remember to sign in. We have tons of people who often forget to sign in. You can imagine the cost savings we are providing those patrons. It would be comparable to the circulation figures above.

In 2008, we had close to 3,000 individuals attend our library programs. We have nearly 4,500 registered patrons. We have roughly 27,000 catalogued items ready and available for circulation. We provided answers to nearly 6,000 reference questions. We’ve partnered with many county agencies to help provide access to services and information that otherwise would not be available in this area. Agencies like Clarion County Promise, Clarion County Literacy Council, Community Action, Inc. of Clarion, as well as other organizations and groups. While the library provides access to the internet, as you can clearly see, there are certain services and resources that the internet cannot provide for people.

Are we seeing a pattern here? All superfluous issues set aside, Eccles-Lesher Memorial Library provides a well utilized and extremely vital set of services and resources to the Rimersburg community and its surrounding areas, services and resources that aren’t available from any other source to these specific populations. The time has come for communities everywhere who are under the impression that libraries will inevitably and unquestionably be there to realize the ugly truth that we will not, not without the support of the communities we serve. Not without continued maintenance, continued aid and assistance.

Eccles-Lesher Memorial Library receives no funding from the Federal government. Talks right now indicate that State funding will be cut by at least 30% next year. Last year approximately 7.12% of the library’s income came from donations and fees paid by our patrons for our services. 61.74% came from grants. The rest came from State and Local governments.

Our grants have been slashed. Our State and Local governments are pinched. Who out there will help us rekindle what libraries fundamentally stand for in a community? Who out there will take the time to help us impress upon legislators, government officials, and our everyday taxpayers that libraries are a cornerstone of our civilized society? That without them we are doomed to revert back to the dark ages where only small select few had the privilege of access to information while the rest were condemned to lives as obtuse illiterate peasants? It is every person’s right to have free and equal access to current and accurate information. It’s part of America’s foundation. Without it people are bound to be manipulated and herded into whatever direction the small aristocracy at the top of the hierarchy chooses.

“Knowledge is power.” ~ Sir Francis Bacon

Sometimes you have to know when to start fighting for your rights.