With revenue down and demand up, libraries are in a tough spot
For libraries, difficult economic times are a catch-22 — their popularity skyrockets, but their funding, which comes primarily from property and consolidated sales taxes, plummets.
“There’s a direct correlation between our high usage and high unemployment right now,”
Economic downturns equal library losses
Libraries have always struggled to survive, let’s face it librarians down’t become librarians for the money, they do it for the love of education and the thrill of helping deliver information to those who seek to increase their own individual knowledge. Unfortuantely, bad economic times always mean less money with higher expectations in the library setting. The best way that libraries can protect themselves is to have leadership in place that can anticipate the downturns, employees who are actively involved in grant and fundraising activities, such as Friends of the Library programs and a dedicated and committed group of employees. But even these steps may not be enough, libraries may have to cut services, increase fines and find other means to raise money when shortfalls are certain making the division between the haves and have nots even greater. If this economic trend continues society will be forced to to decide who and what is expendable, my guess is that it won’t be those making over $250,000 a year.