During the Great Recession of 2007-2009, libraries took hit after hit when local and state politicians revised government budgets--even as library use reached an all-time high. In 2011, California completely eliminated state funding for libraries, which depended on that money for literacy programs, inter-library loan delivery, and, in some cases, even books. In 2012, Louisiana followed suit. Since 2008, New York City public libraries have suffered almost $65 million in budget cuts. The Dallas Public Library's budget has been slashed 50% in the past four years. Even in Massachusetts, a state with a tradition of comparatively generous support for libraries, they've suffered a severe hit. Celeste Bruno of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners told me state funding for libraries is at 1994 levels.
Source for table and graphs: Institute of Museum and Library Services, "Public Libraries in the United States Survey" annual report for 2007-2011.
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