As part of the state’s ongoing assessment of its budget deficit, Massachusetts Acting Gov. Jane Swift in mid-October slashed $200 million in spending from higher education, medical care, and assistance to towns and cities. About $7.1 million of these cuts affect public libraries and regional library systems, the Brockton Enterprise reported October 24, and libraries could be forced to phase out some popular databases or charge users for interlibrary loans outside of the regional network.
Board of Library Commissioners Director Rob Maier said imposing ILL fees from out-of-state or special libraries is one way to recover costs. “Most public libraries charge to use their copy machines and many public libraries impose a fee for using computer printers,” Maier said in the October 18 Boston Globe. “Libraries began charging for special services many years ago, so this seems a reasonable response to the realities of restricted revenues to me.”
Avon Library Director Don MacMillan said in the Enterprise that his library lost about $10,000 in funding, which could result in scaling back story times and employee training. Brockton Public Librray Director Keith Choquette said he plans to discontinue one periodical database at the end of November and another by the end of January.
Cindy Roach, regional administrator for the Southeastern Massachusetts Library System in Lakeville, said the cuts come at a bad economic time when the demand on services is high for job hunting, doing resumes, researching companies, and taking computer classes: “In real tough times,” she said, “libraries are a real community center.”
Posted October 28, 2002.