« Defeat bill that can harm local libraries | Main | Residents must join the fight to save libraries »

May 1, 2010

Glen Rock library patrons urged to attend May 6 rally

http://www.northjersey.com
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
BY KELLY EBBELS
Glen Rock Gazette
STAFF WRITER

At a meeting at the Glen Rock Public Library on Monday night, librarians called on residents to protest what they called the massive cuts proposed to New Jersey’s libraries in Governor Chris Christie’s 2011 budget.

Speaking to an audience of about 30 people gathered in the main space of the library, Librarian Laurie Feistammel and Library Director Roz Pelcyger explained that libraries are facing a two-pronged threat. First is a proposed cut of 74 percent of funding for library services, equaling more than $10 million in cuts. Second is the proposition of Bill A2555 in the State Assembly, which, if passed, would eliminate the minimum requirement for local library funding.
"Together, they represent a very serious threat to the existence of and continuation of New Jersey libraries," Feistammel said.

The $10.4 million in cuts include all of the funding for databases ($1.5 million), network aid ($4.3 million), virtual aid ($1.17 million) and per capita state aid ($3.5 million).
Feistammel pointed out that this money represents only about $1 per capita, and compared to the $10 billion budget shortfall facing Trenton, "$10 million is very small in the grand scheme of things," she said.

Library officials said the proposed cuts would deal a major blow to the delivery systems in place across New Jersey. The Bergen County Cooperative Library System (BCCLS) delivery service currently receives 80 percent of its funding from the state and 20 percent from member libraries, and the loss of state funding would almost certainly bring an end to the program.
Feistammel argued that since many books are expensive, the InterLibrary Loan system allows libraries to share their content, thus staying more efficient.

"The funding that’s being cut will reduce our efficiency, and will really cripple our ability to make the best use of the funds we have available," she said.
Many library databases, such as RefUSA, EBSCO, Business Source Premiere and Academic Search Premiere, would also be shut down.
"These are resources that students are using for their schoolwork," Feistammel said. "They are resources business owners are using so that they can get their businesses off the ground. They are well used."

Cuts would also be made to JerseyConnect, an Internet access and Web hosting service. More than half of the libraries in the state would lose Internet connections, staff e-mail and website hosting services. The Talking Book and Braille Center, the library for the blind and disabled in Trenton, would cease operations in June 2012.

"We’re talking about audio books, we’re talking about read-aloud radio services, we’re talking about Braille. All of that won’t be supported anymore," Feistammel said.
Finally, she said, the cuts would cause New Jersey to lose $4.5 million in federal funding.
"To lose that $4.5 million, on top of the state funding that’s being cut, is huge for New Jersey libraries," she said.

Local cuts?

In addition, Assemblyman John DiMaio has introduced bill A2555, which would eliminate the minimum funding requirement currently in place for libraries at the municipal level. Feistammel said that currently, for every $1,000 of local property taxes collected, a local library gets 33 cents.
"This typically represents less than 3 percent of local property taxes," she said.
Feistammel argued that if this bill were to become law, libraries would be devastated.
"If this goes through, not just in Glen Rock but across the state, you will see reductions in library hours, you’ll see fewer materials on the shelves, you’ll see less programming. You’ll probably see some libraries close altogether," Feistammel said. "If this law passes, personally I believe this would be the end of New Jersey libraries as we know it."

Rally planned

A rally organized by the New Jersey Libraries Association is being planned for Wednesday, May 6, and Feistammel and Pelcyger encouraged the audience to attend.
"If people don’t really yell and scream about this, if they don’t tell people how much they love their libraries, then these cuts are going to go through, and it will tear apart the foundation of the structure of libraries in the state," Feistammel said.

A free shuttle bus will be leaving from Garden State Plaza in Paramus that morning. Pelcyger said more information about the bus’s departure would be forthcoming.
Feistammel and Pelcyger also encouraged everyone to contact their legislators, which could be done by going to glenrock.bccls.org.

Glen Rock resident Connie Otten said after the meeting that she depended on the borough’s library, and had already contacted her legislators to protest the cuts. "
I absolutely deplore what’s happening," Otten said. "I don’t think people are taking this seriously enough. This is devastating."

Feistammel argued that the proposed cuts to library funding were counterintuitive, since with the economic crisis, people were using their libraries more.
"Due to the economy and the tough times people are facing right now, people are coming and are using our services more than ever," she said. "Libraries are seriously under fire in a time when we are seeing our circulation go through the roof."

"If you use your libraries, if you love your libraries, if you value the services that they provide, then this is a time when New Jersey libraries desperately need friends," Feistammel said. "Now’s the time that libraries need the support of the people more than any other time in library history."
E-mail: ebbels@northjersey.com

Posted by tumulty at May 1, 2010 12:04 PM

Comments

Post a comment