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July 20, 2010

Camden library faces steep funding cut

http://www.courierpostonline.com
By DEBORAH HIRSCH • Courier-Post Staff • July 20, 2010

CAMDEN — The Camden library system stands to lose two-thirds of its city funding -- a drop so steep, one board member predicted imminent closure of all three branches.

In a written response to the library board's annual budget request, Mayor Dana Redd said the city would provide $281,667 for the fiscal year that began this month. That's about a third of the $905,000 the city allocated for the library in fiscal year 2010.

Redd said she believed the library provided important services, but "we cannot ignore the fact that "we must live within our means.' " "For me, as mayor, I must first and foremost protect public safety. The public demands nothing less," Redd wrote. "While this may have an adverse affect on other city operations, these are the types of difficult choices I must make in these difficult fiscal times."

To board member Frank Fulbrook, a cut this deep could "force branch closings, if not a total shutdown."
"This could put us out of the library business," he said.

Though the city's three libraries operate independently under a seven-member board, the majority of the system's budget comes from the city. Camden allocated $935,000 for the system in fiscal year 2009, up $100,000 from the previous year. That same amount was originally budgeted for 2010 but reduced by $30,000 after the city faced state budget cuts in the spring.

The system also received about $88,000 in state grants, according to Interim Library Director Jerome Szpila.

For fiscal year 2011, the board lowered its request to $823,000. Board members also approved furloughing the system's 21 employees to cut costs. Under that plan, all three libraries would close Fridays starting in September. The furloughs are expected to last an entire calendar year.
Even that, Fulbrook said, won't be anywhere near enough to deal with the cut. Unless more money comes through, he said, board members will probably have to begin massive layoffs within a few months. At best, he predicted that they might be able to keep one branch open. "It's not a negotiating point, it's a crisis," Fulbrook said.

Szpila said he didn't think the library would even qualify for state grants this year because the city may have violated minimum funding requirements.

Redd said her proposed amount of funding is "substantially more" than required under state law. She pointed out that the $281,667 figure does not include what the city pays to provide benefits such as health insurance to library employees. However, according to the latest available data on file with the N.J. State Library, the city would need to provide at least $389,958.
New Jersey Library Association Executive Director Patricia Tumulty said most cities spend $40 to $50 per person on their libraries. In Camden, she said, that amount is closer to $15.
Camden is not the only city taking a hit. Tumulty said at least 10 of the state's 304 library systems are mandating furloughs.

Cutbacks in state grants aren't helping either, Tumulty said. The state allocated just under $8 million for libraries this year, down about $6 million from the previous year. Those funds help libraries pay for operations, interlibrary loans, electronic card catalogs and Internet access.
Reach Deborah Hirsch at (856) 486-2476 or dhirsch@camden.gannett.com

Posted by tumulty at July 20, 2010 9:20 AM

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