by Deb Sullivan ’83

In Governor Rendell’s 2003/2004 budget, there was a shocking 50 percent reduction in state aid to libraries. It slashed funding from $75 million to $37.5 million.

Temporary aid gave $10.2 million back to libraries—not enough to maintain already lean operations. Cuts in library funding translate directly to cuts in service: fewer hours open, fewer books, and less staff available to provide programs and to help people with their information needs. 

As I write, the financial picture does not look any brighter. The current state budget shortchanges library users by $27 million. The 2004/2005 budget will yield another shortage of $23 million from level funding. Pennsylvania’s library users will lose $50 million in library services in two short years.

As community relations director for the York County Library System, I’ve met the many individuals who need our libraries. In fact, 90,000 come through the doors of our 13 libraries each month. They are all ages and professions including: students, teachers, senior citizens, writers, entrepreneurs, job hunters, preschoolers, and parents who depend upon our public libraries to find information, borrow resources, use computers, attend programs, and seek guidance from skilled reference librarians.

Budget cuts have hit us hard. In York County, half our libraries were forced to close an additional day per week. The others reduced hours or dramatically slashed their budgets in other areas. Collections expenditures were cut 50 percent. Sadly, our libraries can no longer afford to buy basic resources.

I heard a prominent member of Pennsylvania’s business community say to a legislator that libraries are the Department of Education’s stepchildren. I have read numerous articles about Governor Rendell’s thrust for education bearing the slogan “No Child Left Behind.” I want to know “Why have libraries been left behind?”

Classes visit our libraries for career training; learning how to access books and online resources for vocational guidance, occupations, and career development. They are Pennsylvania’s future workforce.

Countless teachers call our libraries for resources. We pull books on requested topics for use in their classrooms. We order books with the needs of our teachers in mind. These educators regularly send their students to us for assistance with research, science projects, and to obtain books. Many a frantic parent and child race into our libraries for resources as we prepare to close. Reduced hours make it harder for students to complete assignments, not easier.

One teacher turned stay-at-home mom feels our library programs for infants, toddlers, and pre-schoolers teach children the concepts of sharing and responsibility. They quickly learn how to select their own books, keep them in good condition, and return them on time for other children to enjoy. By the time they are school age, the transition is easier because reading is not new. They understand how to participate. Because adjustment is easier, they can be directed to more advanced learning.

Our 13 libraries are expecting over 8,000 youth to enroll in Discover New Trails @ Your Library Summer Reading program. Many teachers have told us school goes more smoothly for kids who have kept their skills sharp by reading, assembling craft projects, and attending educational and entertaining programs at their public libraries over the summer months.

Libraries are an important part of a strong and thriving community. When people relocate, the library is one of the first places they visit. A dynamic youth services program helps draw families to the library and encourages them to stay and raise their families. Free programs like story times, the Family Place, Virtual Voyages, and author visits enhance quality of life.

Professional librarians, our human search engines, are the most qualified individuals to help library users evaluate websites. Libraries have kept pace with technology, and for individuals without computers are the number one place for Internet access. Continued budget reductions will impair our ability to keep up with technology.

Libraries are part of the solution to some of the state’s biggest problems like early childhood education, economic development, and improving the quality of life in downtown areas. We need our legislators to recognize the important role libraries play in our communities and to restore full funding.

It’s time for libraries to stop being left behind.

Dressed as storybook character Madeline, Deb Sullivan is surrounded by students at Alexander D. Goode Elementary School in York following a special story time presented by Martin Library staff. Character visits like this one, bring stories to life and fuel the imagination of children. York County libraries regularly work with local school districts to make reading fun!

Deb Troutman Sullivan ’83 is the community relations director for the York County Library System.