Libraries Losing Ground as Revenues Decline, Use Increases

Grandma Nelson's library

Forest Park Branch Library (note hours of operation)

Springfield (Mass.) City Library

In the 1930s, Andy's and Eddie's grandma would walk to this library with her 3 sisters on Saturdays.

Local libraries feeling the pain of smaller budgets, branch cuts. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2/23/2011)

Excerpt: It’s not your grandmother’s public library — yet. But with decreasing state and county revenues that fund our local library systems, budget cuts resulting in fewer hours, fewer community branches, fewer books and an absence of the online resources we have come to expect will reduce today’s technology-rich public library to that of our grandmothers’ time.

The DeKalb County Public Library now finds itself in this crisis. Recent openings of renovated branches have sent a mixed signal. But many may not understand that these were funded through a bond referendum passed by DeKalb voters several years ago and designated only for the purpose of “brick and mortar” buildings.

Eddie, Grandma, and Andy (Thanksgiving 2007)