Virtual PA Library Advocacy Day was Monday.
Facing the potential of huge cuts in state funding, local libraries need patrons to go to bat on their behalf more than ever before.
Concerns over potential spread of the coronavirus shut down schools and libraries across the state in March. Libraries have spent the summer trying to provide programs and access to materials in a limited capacity. Only recently have they been able to open their doors to visitors again, and restrictions remain in place.
On top of these challenges, libraries face financial struggles as well. These financial struggles were a reality before the onset of coronavirus, and now, with the further complications caused by pandemic restrictions, the issues have snowballed.
“Libraries are facing even more serious financial struggles than ever during this pandemic,” said Lorine Rounsville, library director for Hamlin Memorial Library in Smethport.
A study, completed by Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania’s Dr. Sara A. Grove and Dr. C. Nielsen Brasher, was conducted in 2019 and 2020 and sponsored by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania.
The study used a review of recommendations from the 2010 Joint State Government Commission’s report, The Pennsylvania Public Library Code: Findings and Recommendations as a starting point and utilized data from 2007-2017, collected by the Pennsylvania Office of Commonwealth Libraries, and also data collected by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Some areas of focus were staff numbers and training, revenue from various sources and a comparison between Pennsylvania libraries and those in other states. Online surveys were also completed by library staff and patrons, and focus groups with staff and patrons were held at six rural Pennsylvania public libraries.
Among the interesting facts discovered by the study were: while Pennsylvania library revenue grew at a rate of 8.7 percent from 2008 to 2017, when adjusted for inflation, Pennsylvania library revenue actually fell by 8 percent; and also that “only Maine, in which libraries receive no state funding outside of grants for specific initiatives, raised more other-source money than Pennsylvania. This means Pennsylvania is much more reliant on state government and other sources of funding than other states. This was a major reason why the 2008 recession hit Pennsylvania library revenues harder than other states.”
Mary Grace Collier-Kisler, director of the SW Smith Library, participated in the survey and found the following quote the strongest representation of a library’s importance to the area it serves:
“While they [rural libraries] are unique in terms of their physical facility, the level of staffing, and the resources available to provide services, one commonality they share is that they are a place of trust within their communities. Given this role, sufficient funding for rural libraries must be addressed.”
She noted, “The fact that rural communities trust their libraries is so heartfelt. It makes me even more motivated to provide and advocate for our communities. The rural communities need libraries and libraries need their patronage — it is a symbiotic relationship.”
Collier-Kisler recently wrote a letter to the McKean County Commissioners, noting that
“Libraries are a catalyst for addressing social problems and are a safe, non-partisan place to hold civil discourse. They have always been a gateway to knowledge, culture, and opportunity through shared materials, online databases and courses, and digital resources. Librarians are information navigators—they can help the public find access to not only books, but to necessary information, social services, and government safety nets.
“Pennsylvania’s public libraries are being strongly advised to prepare for a devastating decrease in their 2021 state subsidy–a possible decrease of approximately 55%. Now more than ever, public libraries need voices in advocacy for public libraries and the communities they serve.”
