Public library funding

Public libraries, long supported by various government entities, have seen a decline in monetary support for several decades,Fact|date=November 2007 due to various influences.

Cases in point are the libraries in Salinas, California and Buffalo, New York, but there are many other long-standing public libraries now having to find new sources of income to keep them operating.Fact|date=November 2007

*In California, the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978 removed the property tax as a source of funding for libraries, school programs, and other public services. This action provided tax relief for homeowners on one hand, but forced severe budget cuts to the services they enjoyed.Fact|date=November 2007

*The cost of creating, maintaining, and upgrading electronic hardware, networks, and resources has put a strain on many library budgets.Fact|date=November 2007

*The cost of printed matter such as books and magazines has risen over time, while funding has remained static or declined.Fact|date=November 2007

External links

* [http://www.ala.org/ala/news/libraryfunding/libraryfunding.htm Library funding] statistics, news, and issues from the American Library Association
* [http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/libraries/public.asp Public library statistics] from the National Center for Education Statistics