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We do ourselves a disservice when we measure today's libraries against yesterday's services. With the vast digital resources that we make available to our users, the access to full text materials that are never "not on the shelf," the ability to search through huge bibliographic databases quickly and to download the results, there should be no question that libraries are worth every penny of the investment that goes into them.
Karen Coyle in "Technology and the Return on Investment"
From Luxury to Necessity – As the public’s buying power shrinks, more people seek employment, complete their education or upgrade their skills. People rely on public libraries for vital information on job opportunities, career planning and training, small business management, literacy programs and computer skills development. There is significant evidence to demonstrate that libraries experience an increase of use up to 20 percent during an economic downturn. People know that no matter what is happening in the economy, they can get the information, services and assistance they need from the public library. Public libraries provide free acess to all types of materials - books, music, DVDs, audio books, newspapers, magazines, downloadable audio books; they provide communities with public space, promoting mutual support and social inclusion. Hard economic times can be isolating, and public libraries bring people together in an inclusive, supportive environment. Public libraries offer strong support for early literacy, as well as free children's programs such as story-times, craft programs, magic shows, film programs, and live performances. Public libraries help to level the playing field for job seekers. Many jobs now require online applications and libraries offer free internet access and assistance. Public libraries offer skills development such as computer training, literacy classes, and assistance for immigrants. During a recession, as people have less money to spend on books, and as the cost of books, particularly textbooks, continues to rise, access to free books at the public library becomes even more important. Excerpt from Nova Scotia Provincial Library |
Overview
Florida’s public libraries are a key component in supporting the educational and learning needs of every person in the state. These libraries offer vital resources for early literacy development, homework help, home-school families, continuing education and lifelong avocations. Today’s Florida public libraries are thriving technology hubs that thousands rely on for Internet access. In addition to providing free access to computers and the Internet, the majority of Florida public libraries offer high-speed access, digital reference and downloadable media.
Florida public libraries are on the front lines of connecting people with essential government resources – unemployment benefits, federal and state emergency assistance, tax filing and more. Public libraries are also logical partners for local economic development initiatives that focus on people and quality of life. Florida public libraries are widely available, highly regarded public institutions that provide a broad range of information services and support for diverse constituencies.
In a time of widespread economic turmoil, 14.3 percent of U.S. public libraries report decreased operating budgets in Fiscal Year (FY) 2009. Only 38 percent of libraries report budget increases at or above the rate of inflation, with more than half (53 percent) of the state library agencies that provide state funding to public libraries reporting declining state funding in FY2009, according to questionnaires to the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA). In Florida, library funding was cut in FY09 by 6.6 percent from prior year levels.
Public libraries are a hybrid organization in economic terms, providing a mix of public and private goods and services. Further, they generate a mix of direct and indirect, tangible and intangible benefits for both the individual user and for society, both today and into the future. When a state government cuts its expenditures, such as by eliminating state jobs or reducing purchases, the negative impact on the economy will likely exceed the amount of the initial reduction in government spending because these additional rounds of economic activity will also be curtailed.
