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Interlibrary Loan Update
Effective immediately (11/12/09)
Due to funding cuts from the State, Abington Township Public Library will accept Interlibrary Loan requests for materials not available within Montgomery County libraries from Montgomery County residents only.
If you do not reside in Montgomery County and you need material that is not owned by a Montgomery County library, you must place your request at your home library.
Questions?
Contact the Information Desk
at 215-885-5180 ext. 13 |
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This is crippling news.
By cutting Access 57% the government has all but eliminated the Power Library database from libraries and schools. I can't even begin to fathom the repercussions right now. I do know it means a loss of at least $150,000 from our State funds, and, with Power libraries decimated, a huge blow to our ability to provide reference services. Unbelievable. At a time when usage is at record levels...
Nancy
----- Original Message -----
From: Glenn Miller
To: PAPUBLIB@hslc.org
Sent: Thursday, October 08, 2009 1:38 AM
Subject: [PAPUBLIB] House Passes Final State Budget Deal; Senate Approval Expected
Good morning, faithful library advocates
On the eve of Day 100 of the state budget impasse, a deal has been sealed…finally and without any further significant changes. The State House debated the final deal last night and passed it by a vote of 107-93. Easy passage in the Senate is expected since both Republicans and Democrats there already have signaled their support. The final Senate vote could occur Thursday evening or Friday. The Governor will sign the budget soon thereafter.
At some later point, we can re-hash the excruciating details of this never-ending roller-coaster of a budget. For now, I know that people are anxious to have the specifics, so here they are:
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Program |
FY 08-09
(as passed in July, 2008) |
FY 08-09 Adjusted
(after funds placed in reserve, 2009) |
FY 09-10
(as passed in State House, Oct. 7, 2009) |
FY 09-10 compared to FY 08-09 Adjusted |
% Change |
Office of Commonwealth Libraries (includes State Library operations) |
$ 4,846,000 |
$ 4,591,000 |
$ 2,396,000 |
- $ 2,195,000 |
- 47.8% |
Library Services/Visually Impaired & Disabled |
$ 2,976,000 |
$ 2,976,000 |
$ 2,926,000 |
- $ 50,000 |
- 1.7% |
Library Access (POWER Library, statewide card, interlibrary delivery) |
$ 7,290,000 |
$ 7,000,000 |
$ 3,000,000 |
- $ 4,000,000 |
- 57.1% |
Electronic Library Catalog (Ask Here PA, Access PA database) |
$ 3,792,000 |
$ 3,542,000 |
($ 0 - programs merged into Library Access) |
- $ 3,542,000 |
- 100% |
Public Library Subsidy |
$ 75,750,000 |
$ 75,137,000 |
$ 60,000,000 |
- $ 15,137,000 |
- 20.1% |
Total – All Programs |
$ 94,654,000 |
$ 93,246,000 |
$ 68,322,000 |
- $ 24,924,000 |
- 26.7% |
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I hardly know where to begin to describe all this. I know that these end results will not be pleasant at all for library staff, for services, and for library users. At the same time, I also know we recognize—all of us—that this is the worst economy in Pennsylvania since the Great Depression and that state coffers lost a mind-numbing $3.2 billion in revenue just this past year.
We will work with Deputy Secretary Clare Zales to try and minimize the damage to statewide programs and begin planning to rebuild services and funding. The hit to the Public Library Subsidy was bad but not as severe as it could have been. We will also work with Clare Zales to see if it possible to accelerate the payment dates for state aid.
Looking at the big picture can be dangerous because it tends to mask the real pain of specific program cuts. Nevertheless, it is fair to note that during the eight months of this year’s budget roller coaster, our overall funding levels ranged from a potential highest total (all programs) of $81 million (Rendell/House Democratic plan) to a potential lowest total (all programs) of $42 million (Senate Republican plan.) In the end, fortunately, our overall funding of $68 million ended much closer to the higher number than the lower.
There is no doubt in my mind that the outcome would have been much, much worse had it not been for your relentless, positive, and articulate advocacy on behalf of your library and your community. We know that legislators heard our voices even in the face of this budget’s tidal wave of red ink. I realize that it may not feel like it right now, but your advocacy made a huge, positive difference. Thank you seems wholly inadequate.
But think about this: every program that we saved, every job that can be retained, and every budget dollar that was secured during this struggle puts us further down the road toward recovering from this recession-ravaged budget year.
Again, I truly appreciate all of your great and ceaseless efforts. Let’s do our best to rest some and recover and re-energize ourselves for better days ahead.
Glenn
Glenn R. Miller
Executive Director
Pennsylvania Library Association
220 Cumberland Parkway, Suite 10
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania 17055
phone: 717-766-7663
fax: 717-766-5440
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 Back to the Future
Shuttered, former library buildings sit vacant. This was a place once filled with children and families enjoying a summer reading event about gardens with children dressed as vegetables.
It was a place where any customer received help in financial literacy; where job seekers got personal attention; where senior citizens welcomed reference help with health issues; and even where teen girls chose free prom dresses.
Distant voices from this now-shuttered building included teachers collaborating on an education project with the public library staff; weekly book discussion groups chatting over coffee, and entrepreneurs getting free and valuable database instruction.
It’s where homework help happened in a noisy corner and people waited their turn to use email or take a proctored exam.
It’s where free books, movies, and museum passes flew out the door and where computer banks and laptops hummed along at the speed of fiber.
All gone.
And what about the library as the transformation place? Don't we need democracy in good times and bad?
Yes, libraries like all agencies and services to the public need to merge, streamline, live within the means of the community.
However, libraries can no longer make due.
This time will be different. Hours will be cut and services curtailed. Some facilities will have no choice but to close.
We urge you to help preserve libraries for our past, present and future. If your library no longer existed, would you miss it? Would your children and grandchildren miss it?
Susan Hauer
System Administrator, Library System of Lancaster County
and Member PaLA Legislative Information Committee |
Please contact your State Senator, State Representative, and Governor Rendell and ask them to help. Urge them to make library services a top priority in the next budget. Ask them to  level-fund libraries which will keep libraries open and preserve vital federal funds that will be cut if we cut state funding.
Please send copies of your personal notes, personal letters and emails to state legislators to:
Governor Ed Rendell
225 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/
Governor/govmail.html
and
Clare Zales
Commissioner of Libraries
PA Department of Education
333 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17126-1745
mzales@state.pa.us
Visit www.palibraries.org for legislative updates, Talking Points, FAQ, Advocacy and Soundbites. Please complete and send in a Commitment Form to let us know about your advocacy.
Please let Glenn Miller know of any feedback
you receive from your legislators.
Send him an email at, glenn@palibraries.org or fax to 717-766-5440.
Thanks for stepping up your efforts and recruiting more library advocates at this critical time. |
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The Pennsylvania Senate has passed a 2009-2010 budget which calls for a more than 50% cut in state aid to public libraries and total elimination of statewide services like POWER Library and library to library delivery.
Senate Bill 850 cuts the state library subsidy in half – a move that would lead to drastic cuts in services, resources and library staffing.
This will reduce the budgets of public libraries in the state at a time when libraries are being used more than ever before.
Your voice can make the difference!
Contact local politicians!
Visit www.palibraries.org for legislative updates, talking points, FAQ, advocacy and more. |
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Library to Library Delivery:
When you request anything through the library catalog, if that item isn’t in your library at that time, the next available version is delivered from another library in the system.
This is the library to library delivery that will be eliminated if SB 850 will get passed. |
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Please make your voice heard
by contacting your local politicians:
Senator Le Anna Washington
1168 Easton Road
Roslyn, PA 19001
215-517-1434
http://www.senator
washington.com/contact
Senator Rick Taylor
701 Horsham Road
Suite 101
Horsham, PA 19044
215-441-1030
Senator Brendan F. Boyle
14230 Bustleton Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19116
215-676-0300
Governor Ed Rendell
225 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
http://sites.state.pa.us/PA Exec/
Governor/govmail.html
State Representative
Josh Shapiro
1175 Old York Road
Abington, PA 19001
215-517-6800
info@joshshapiro.org
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