State of our libraries

Keywords Libraries, Funding, Public finance

According to an article by Library Journal's editor, Evan St Lifer,the fiscal state of US libraries is very strong. A period of extended economic prosperity, thriving financial markets, and low-level inflation "have staked libraries to prosperity not seen since the mid-1980s". All but the inner cities and extreme rural areas have benefited, and even so, many big-city libraries are flourishing. Along with the Gates Learning Foundation grants, Universal Service and the E-rate have enabled many libraries to provide Internet access to their patrons. According to the 331 libraries participating in Library Journal's tenth annual budget survey, budgets have increased by an average of 7.5 per cent, over 4.7 per cent for the previous five years. Materials budgets have increased 8.8 per cent and salary/personnel budgets 8.5 per cent. Per capita funding has increased from $26.27 in FY99 to $28.04 in FY00.