Public Library Funding

Many public libraries in the United States today are dealing with funding issues. What is at the heart of the issue? What needs to be considered? Here are issues that need to be considered.

Public library funding issue #1 - How is the current library board chosen?

While some library boards are appointed, others are elected. If the board of your public library system is appointed and not acting in a responsible way, it is time to lobby for public election of the board. It is the opinion of many that boards that face public election are much more responsive to the needs, desires, and recommendations of the public they serve. The Bay County Library System (Michigan) is an example of the problems that can arise with an appointed board. They have continually proven that they are unresponsive to the needs of patrons. Once a board is appointed, it can be very difficult to remove people from power or change to an elected board. No matter how a board is elected, it is vital to apply pressure to officials responsible, whether an elected board or elected county officials, in order to rectify the situation.

Public library funding issue #2 - What percentage of money is spent on administrative costs?

Library boards that treat the passage of a major funding measure as a means to gain power and spend tax dollars recklessly need to face harsh consequences. They also then need to truly listen to patrons and correct the situation. If this doesn't happen, the board shouldn't be surprised if the next ballot measure is defeated. Excessive spending on administrative costs is a sign of a mismanaged system. There is simply no reason to have a higher percentage of administrators than employees. Administrators should be there to oversee employees and the facilities, not there to take up space and waste taxpayers money and future funding opportunities.

Public library funding issue #3 - Are there unneeded locations within the local library system?

In an era that is seeing a lesser need for a public library, thanks to the availability of information on the Internet, many services and locations can be consolidated in order to reduce operating costs. Boards should take care to research the true needs of the community before making arbitrary determinations that later make absolutely no sense. In essence, it takes research in order to determine exactly how the resources of the system should be divided. Operating costs should be a major consideration when evaluating which facilities should be consolidated, closed, and remodeled. It should also be a factor when choosing to build a new facility, even if the measure was approved by the voters.

Public library funding issue #4 - How have major library projects been handled in the recent past?

When projects are put on the ballot as initiatives, such as the building of a new library facility, it only makes sense that voters will look to the past as an indicator of future success. Appointees can't expect the public to continue to support their projects if the board continues to mismanage funds and past projects. Not only does there need to be a concerted effort to reach out to the greater community, real listening needs to take place on both sides of the issue in order to prevent misunderstanding. Miscommunication on all sides of the issue can lead to funding being revoked and reduced library services within a community.

Public library funding issue #5 - Are the voices of the patrons served by the public library system truly being heard?

Some boards will hold informational sessions in an attempt to hear the concerns of the public. However, this does not mean that they have truly heard the concerns of the public that they serve. The board may continue to not understand why their latest proposal was defeated when the real issue is the public's mistrust of the library board's spending habits and management. Once again, this is the result of miscommunication on both sides of the issue. While it is true that the system needs to take the concerns of patrons into consideration, it is also true that patrons with grave concerns over the management and conduct of the board need to make their issues known in a clear, concise manner.

Public library funding issue #6 - Are scandals taking precedent over legitimate library concerns?

There are times when boards make controversial decisions (such as in the naming of a new facility) and they simply are blown out of proportion. Such scandals take away from the real issues facing public library systems and promote misinformation among patrons, who are the true owners of the system. Unfortunately, there are always going to be political scandals that plague local government, and government in general. Hopefully, the general public and the system will allow common sense to prevail. Legitimate business needs to take precedent over scandal. Boards can help by working hard to avoid public scandals in the first place. However, a cover up of a scandal can serve to make the issues larger than it should be.

If these six public library funding issues are taken into consideration, it is easy to identify problems within the system and then take appropriate action to correct them. However, if people continue to be blindsided by misinformation and power garnered by the city or county government (this is especially true in cases where the board is appointed), the system will never correct itself. There is a continued need for public libraries, but the entire concept needs to be rethought within the context of 21st century technology.