The American Library Association State of America's Libraries Report for 2010 outlines a problem that is present all over the nation: decreased tax revenue due to the recession has created budget shortfalls at the state and local level. State and local governments are greatly decreasing funding for public libraries. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, which has already laid off 120 employees and decreased hours at its branches, just announced the closing of four branches in anticipation of a 45 percent budget decrease for FY2011.
The catch-22 of all this is that during a recession, when funding for libraries is down, the need for and use of public libraries actually increases. Thirty percent of all households surveyed in a Harris Interactive nationwide poll conducted in 2010, cited on page 9 of the ALA report linked above, increased their public library use within the past year. Unemployed patrons, particularly those without high-speed Internet access, use the public library for job searches and job applications. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library offers a Job Help Center with information on resume writing, interview practice, career transitions, and upgrading computer skills. It also offers access to BizLink for researching various industries. For those who need to go back to school, the library offers information on community college programs and placement testing, as well as information on scholarship and grant programs and how to apply for them. A study conducted by the University of South Carolina's School of Library and Information Science in 2005 estimates that for every dollar that the state of South Carolina invests in its public libraries, it receives a $2.86 return.
In a fiscal crisis such as we are facing all over the nation right now, suggesting no cuts in any public programs would be unrealistic. However, keeping libraries at the bottom of the budgetary chopping block would be beneficial to the community in the long run.
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