Round Two

It looks as if round two of state funding cuts to public libraries will be as bad, if not worse, than round one.

Carrie Cline, librarian for the McDonald County Library, said if Governor Jay Nixon's 2015 budget is approved as presented, there will be no state funding for public libraries.

"He has zeroed out all state funding for public libraries," Cline said. "I have heard that there might be an exemption for part of that for the 30 poorest counties in the state, which we are, but even then we would loose about $30,000."

Cline said in 2014 the library had its state funds cut $30,000. She said the library absorbed that loss of funds by cutting back on hours and spending less on new materials.

"We are down to a skeleton staff now, but we will have to look at cutting hours and staff, as well as services and materials" Cline said. "This is our third year to close on Friday mornings and I don't like doing that."

Cline said the library has a budget of about $317,000 for the current year. She said state cuts could be as much as $42,000, but will probably be about $30,000.

The library received about $260,000 of its funds this year through county property taxes.

"This year we have spent less on computers and materials," Cline said. "That's the things our patrons need."

Cline is also distraught at other state agencies relying on the library to make up for programs they cut when they have funding problems.

"The I.R.S. no longer prints tax forms," Cline said. "As the government keeps cutting programs, they tell people to go to the public library, but they are killing us. Quit sending people to the public library if you won't fund it."

Cline said the library is so much more than a book-lending facility.

"People come here to hunt for jobs, take college courses, sign up for government programs," Cline said. "So much in today's society is done on the web and this is one place there is high-speed access."

Kim Manley was at the Pineville branch of the library recently with her three children. The library has a program for home-school students to get together every two weeks.

"I think its terrible," Manley said of the cuts. "The library is a big asset to the community. We home-school families use the library a lot. We take advantage of all its resources."

Manley said the special program for home-school children is an example of how vital the library is.

"The home-school class allows the students to get instruction in a group setting," Manley said. "It give the kids a chance to be with other kids."

Cline said there is a chance the state legislature could change the Governor's budget proposal.

"I am appealing to the legislature to override the Governor's budget,"Cline said. "I am asking people to write their legislators and tell them not to allow the Governor to cut the library funding."

McDonald County's State Representative is Bill Lant. McDonald County's State Senator is David Sater. Both legislators' contact information can be found at the end of their columns on Page 4A in today's paper.