Libraries across West Virginia face a five percent cut in state funding following Governor Joe Manchin’s line item veto of the legislative budget.  Last winter the governor had told many state agencies to prepare for a five percent cut. However, in its passed budget the legislature kept state library funding intact. The governor overruled their budget.

This state aid cut directly impacts Pocahontas Libraries just more than $2,000 for the coming year, because each library system annually receives $4.62 per capita state aid based upon population. The governor’s cut reduces this to $4.38 per capita. However, with our county census projected to drop at least 500 people, we could be facing a combined $4,000 or more drop in future years.

Thankfully we have excellent county commission support, investment income from our endowment and generous contributions from our donors.  We do need more support from the school board as it is questionable that we are even at break-even point for the direct services we provide the elementary schools, let alone our indirect services of year-around availability of books, computers and space for educational pursuit.

Many libraries in West Virginia struggle with little community support. Recent administrative regulations require local government to match state per capita. Some libraries will not receive their full match. In fact, West Virginia has the lowest average local funding for libraries in the United States. Again, Pocahontas Libraries is an exception. And an exception that we believe reveals itself in high quality rural library services.

A few weeks ago a major study came out. Opportunity For All: How The American Public Benefits From Internet Access At U.S. Public Libraries. Let me quote from the Executive Summary conclusion:

The wiring of public libraries has transformed one of the nation’s most established community resources into a critical digital hub, where patrons can compete more effectively for jobs, improve their health, find key government services and manage their finances. Computer and internet access allow librarians to go beyond library stacks to connect patrons to all of the resources, services, and tools available online. In a world increasingly defined by technology, the public library is one of the widest bridges to the internet and computers, not only for those who cannot afford their own connection, but for those who find the library is an easier, faster, friendlier or more effective way to use these tools.

Over the years, libraries have made significant investments to keep pace with digital developments, but surging demand quickly wears out equipment, taps available bandwidth and strains library resources. As resources and services increasingly migrate online and devour greater bandwidth, more patrons will need access to fully participate in the digital age. That means libraries will require more resources, not less, to meet this growing need.

Unfortunately, some states are now cutting library budgets, which puts quality access in jeopardy. The situation is worsening because the lingering recession leads state and local governments to cut library funding and libraries to cut hours, services and staff—two developments that will only lengthen the growing lines of those waiting to use library computers.

This groundbreaking research shows people of all types not only use computers and internet lines at the public library, but they rely on this access. The findings signal this is a moment when federal, state and local governments should invest more, not less, in the computing capacity of the nation’s libraries to help advance a wide-range of policy goals.

http://impact.ischool.washington.edu/documents/OPP4ALL_ExecSumm.pdf