The Unsettled Outlook for Library Funding

Budget could cut library funding. (Juneau County Star Times, 4/20/2011)

Excerpt:  Hatch Public Library received $306,600 from Mauston and $164,760 from Juneau County in 2009.

Christenson said in light of the down economy, more people are frequenting Hatch than ever in the library's decade in existence.

"Last year was our highest annual circulation ever," she said. "Already in the first three months of 2011, we're up 2 percent over that, which is an all-time record."

According to Christenson, if Mauston or the county were to reduce their appropriations to Hatch, the library would have to become more dependent on other libraries through the Winding Rivers Library System's interlibrary loan program.

Kristen Anderson, director of Winding Rivers, said libraries in both rural and more developed areas would likely be impacted if maintenance of effort were eliminated.

"It's tough all over," she said. "This is not an easy time for any state or local organization."

According to Anderson, such tough times lead to more library patrons as people depend more on free sources of entertainment.

She said cutting municipal appropriations would create difficulties as libraries deal with both higher traffic and pre-existing budget concerns.

"Another thing to keep in mind, too, is libraries have always been kind of the poor cousins in municipal budgeting," said Anderson.

Regional library systems such as Winding Rivers will see a broad 10 percent cut to their state appropriations if the budget passed unchanged.

According to Anderson, the system has already cut enough of its budget to cover the 10 percent by not replacing a vacated assistant director position.