Pending Library Cuts in Cattaraugus County, NY

Excerpted from the Olean Public Library Blog:

http://oleanpubliclibrary.wordpress.com/2010/11/09/let-your-legislators-know-how-much-you-love-your-library/

Cattaraugus County Administrator Jack Searles released a budget last week that includes 20% cuts across the board for all contract agencies.  For your local library, this could be devastating.

$17, 105 in county aid would be lost to the libraries in Cattaraugus County.  However, this is not the only cut that would occur.  This cut would be more than 5% of the library’s local funding, which would result in a loss of 25% of State Aid.  In total, this would mean a loss of approximately $270,000.

In the past two years, State Aid to the library system has already been cut by $250,000. The current amount of  County funding has been the same since 2005.  One of the consequences of these cuts was the elimination of the bookmobile.  As a result of the current proposal several programs could be cut including weekly delivery of books requested from other libraries, the interlibrary loan service that allows patron to access books outside of the CCLS system, and service to the County’s nine nursing homes and senior centers.

Economic times are difficult, but in times like these more and more people are turning to the public library for help.  People visit the library each day to fill out job applications, look for potential employment, update their skills, and more.  The library lends out books, DVDs, and video games which saves people money.  Is this the time to cut funding, when the library’s services are in high demand?

What you can do to help:

• Call or write your legislator and ask him or her to restore library funding.  (The names, addresses, and phone numbers of the District 10 Legislators appears at the bottom of this page as well as a link to information on the other Cattaraugus County legislators.)
• Sign the petition available at the library.
• Attend the Legislature’s public hearing on the budget on Tuesday, November 23rd at 3pm in the Legislature’s Chambers (Cattaraugus County Center, 303 Court Street, Little Valley, NY).
• Sign up to speak at the budget hearing on the 23rd.
• Pass this information on to your friends and family.  The library could use the support.

The library can’t do this without your help!  Thank you for all you have done over the years for the library and all that you continue to do.

**Thanks to Carol Kowalik for sharing this information.**