Governor Tom Ridge announced January 6 that his 2000–01 budget proposal will include more than $123.5 million for reading, literacy, and libraries in Pennsylvania—a boost of some 13%.
Making the announcement at the Free Library of Philadelphia central branch, Ridge said, “I don’t believe that in the public-service community there is an organization that stretches a public dollar further and maximizes the benefit of the investment better than the libraries.”
The plan increases funding for libraries by 31%, to $62.3 million. It includes $7.2 million for the Access Pennsylvania program, which provides a statewide library card. Additional funding will allow some 400 elementary school libraries and other public libraries to be added to the statewide library catalog.
It also includes $25 million for the second year of an initiative to help children learn to read on grade level by the end of third grade and $17.9 million for adult- and family-literacy programs.
The proposal, which must be approved by the state legislature, builds on the budget increases Ridge successfully set forth last year.
Posted January 17, 2000.