Posted November 3, 2003.

Alabama Libraries Feel Effects of State Funding Loss

After the defeat in a statewide referendum September 9 of Gov. Bob Riley’s $1.2-billion plan to reform Alabama’s tax code and improve its educational system, the state cut funding for schools by an estimated $560,000. All state funds for school library enhancement—including new or replacement books and magazine subscriptions—have been zeroed out, according to the October 24 Mobile Register.

This amounts to a loss of $92,000 for the Elmore County school system and $75,000 for Autauga County schools. Montgomery County saw more than $280,000 disappear, but school libraries were able to scrape together $160,000 in local funding to help make it up.

“Our collections at these libraries will plummet,” Elmore County Curriculum Coordinator Andre Harrison said in the October 27 Montgomery Advertiser. “It’s a stressful situation. Some principals have redone their budgets to reallocate some funds to their media centers.”

Most state education funding agencies, including the Alabama Public Library Service, sustained 10% funding cuts for FY2004, which began October 1. Consequently, APLS Director Rebecca Mitchell announced October 27 that 10 of its 51 positions will be eliminated.

“It’s a part of my job that makes me wonder why I ever took it,” Mitchell told the Advertiser. “Unfortunately, we had to cut a quarter of a million out of salary and benefits and that equated to 10 positions in our agency.” Six employees will be laid off as of November 14, while four others opted to retire.

Posted November 3, 2003.