« Kevin Riordan: Camden's planned library budget cuts say a lot about budget cutting | Main | Libraries in Cranford, Kenilworth save hours, programs in dealing withstate cuts »

July 23, 2010

Aid cut to affect Burlco libraries

http://www.courierpostonline.com

By CAROL COMEGNO • Courier-Post Staff • July 22, 2010

MOUNT HOLLY — Burlington County Library patrons will notice no changes in services this year, but the county's smaller and historic libraries have been adversely affected by the loss of most grant aid from the county library system.

Last week the Burlington County Board of Freeholders approved almost the same tax rate as last year to support an $11.7 million library budget for 2010 that maintains all services and soon expects to finance a $6 million expansion and renovation of the main county library in Westampton.
The library budget met a county government directive for the library commission to reduce property taxes and spending, both of which were achieved.

In its approval, Freeholder Christopher Brown and other freeholders not only praised the library for its tax-cutting budget and innovative services but by its vote sanctioned the decision to reduce financial aid to nine, nonbranch member libraries by 83 percent in a single year. The aid was reduced from $60,530 last year to $9,000 -- $1,000 each for libraries in Burlington City, Beverly, Bass River, Crosswicks, Mount Holly, Southampton, Florence, Delanco, and Riverside.
Freeholder Mary Anne Reinhart, the lone Democrat on the board of freeholders, on Wednesday publicly said she was distressed over the reduction to member libraries and suggested the library had enough surplus revenue to continue that aid. She also told county library director Gail Sweet she opposed those aid cuts because they are occurring in a struggling economy when member libraries are trying to survive.
Sweet said that the reduction was prudent and in the best interest of county taxpayers since branch libraries are in close proximity to the member libraries.

The aid reduction already has had an impact on the 252-year-old Library Company of Burlington -- the second-oldest public library in the state -- and most of the other eight libraries. Many also lost other income this year when their local governments reduced financial aid for their local libraries. These libraries are open for limited hours and operate on budgets of $120,000 a year or less using mostly part-time and volunteer help.

Sharon Vincz, the director of The Library Company of Burlington, said the trustees had to lay off the archivist who had been stabilizing and chronologically arranging an historic collection of more than 2,000 books, including rare books of animal and bird drawings and lithographs by naturalist John James Audubon and a 500-year-old Latin book about Christ.

Vincz said the loss of 94 percent of its county library aid of $17,535 was like a "lifeline cut" and forced her to cut staff hours.
"We are grateful for all the other support we get from the county library like the book programs, but we have depended a lot on this money from the county," she said, echoing the sentiment of other library directors.

"Luckily, we had attracted some additional volunteers to save money."
She said the library also serves Burlington Township, which reduced its annual contribution from $10,000 to $5,000.
The Sally Stretch Keen Memorial Library in the Vincentown section of Southampton decided to close Fridays, reduced other weekday hours, did not fill a recently vacated aide job and is looking for more volunteers, said library trustee president Ed Moore.
"This was disappointing for sure," he said of the loss of more than $12,000 of its county aid of $13,755.

Riverside librarian Jean Bowker said she does not know yet how the library will pay both of its two part-time staffers and will not be buying any new children's books because of the loss of almost $10,000 from the county.

Michael Eck, director of the Museum of of History and Natural Sciences (also known as the Mount Holly Library), said a 90 percent cut in its contribution from $10,540 to $1,000 has made it very difficult.

"We've been running a deficit recently and cuts like these don't help," he said.
Reach Carol Comegno at (856) 486-2473 or ccomegno@courierpostonline.com

Posted by tumulty at July 23, 2010 8:32 AM

Comments

Post a comment