Sites and Soundbytes

JS Online: As communities try to curb their spending, libraries' operating budgets keep rising

Sigh. Well, I am sure the 77% budget increase in Waterford makes a good headline, but in my experience as a library director in Wisconsin, we have never even considered ASKING for an increase even a fraction that high, much less expecting to have it funded by our municipalities and county. Amazing.

Over the years, we have struggled to have our city and town fund the library enough to keep books on the shelves and pay for salaries. The municipalities have increased our book budget once in the last ten years (by $1500), and increased our staff once in the last decade by changing an 8 hour page position to an 18 hour clerk position. That is closer to the norm here in Wisconsin. The directors and library board members request more funding, necessary funding, and our municipalities are caught in a situation where they must decrease or curb spending and often must choose between libraries and police.

I do not resent having to justify every dollar I request. I don't have a problem with running a very tight budget. But I do have a problem when the major newspaper in the state decides that libraries are unfairly getting money while other departments suffer. That is not the case in the vast majority of libraries in the state. Yes, we run wonderful facilities here. Yes, we are the hub of the community. But no, we are not greedy and are not seizing more than our share. Much the opposite, I'm afraid.