September 16, 2004
SYRACUSE --- Onondaga County Public Library Executive Director Joyce M. Latham urges residents to contact their state legislators today and ask them to override Governor George Pataki's cut of state aid to public libraries.
Libraries serve 51 percent of the state's population, yet library aid makes up less than one-tenth of 1 percent of the state budget. Now Gov. George Pataki wants to cut even that small amount by a further 5 percent.
Latham, who assumed OCPL's directorship Aug. 16, had no sooner taken up her new responsibilities than she was confronted with the unwelcome cuts. "This 5 percent cut translates to $77,000 dollars in system-wide services. It will be felt throughout the county," Latham explained. Additionally, the cut in state aid will result in a reduction of federal library aid to New York State, causing further hardship for local libraries, unless the reduction can be balanced by an increase in funding over the following fiscal years.
In Pataki's budget proposal on January 20, 2004, he cut state aid to libraries by 5 percent, or $4.4 million. On August 11, the Senate passed the 2004 – 05 state budget, reinstating Pataki's cut. Ten days later, Pataki vetoed the reinstatement, necessitating a return of the Legislature to the Capitol in the near future to overturn the Governor again.
The OCPL system provides cost-effective support services that help local libraries meet the needs of their communities. OCPL serves the Central, branch and satellite libraries in Syracuse, plus 20 member libraries in the county. Services include interlibrary loan, delivery of books and resources among the libraries, the shared online catalog of library holdings, coordinated outreach and children's services, and subscriptions to online databases.
With no increase in state aid since 1998, libraries are struggling to meet increased costs of health care premiums, pension contributions, materials acquisitions, utilities and gasoline.
County residents can find information on how to contact their state legislators and other information at www.onlib.org or by visiting their local libraries.
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