Public libraries are suffering budget cuts in most states nationwide, according to an informal LJ survey, with a significant segment―though not a majority―characterizing the strictures as worse than in the early 1990s, the last time libraries were hit hard. LJ contacted state library agencies and, in some cases, state library associations, for a snapshot of current budget pressures and library responses. Thirty states were able to provide responses: some were based on recent surveys while others were simplv estimates. Local funding, often dependent on properly taxes, accounts for the bulk of library support, and that fluctuates widely, depending on the jurisdiction. So why are so many libraries facing static or lowered budgets? (A static budget is in effect a cut, because of inflationary pressures on salaries and materials.) Blame state grants, a vital component―usually up to 10%―of local budgets. Because most slate budgets have been shrinking, even libraries with consistent local funding feel a pinch. Still, the situation looks to improve (see "A Brighter Future," p. 54).
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