PS

I was distressed to read this today:

Brown Proposes Eliminating All State Funding for California Public Libraries

As if California libraries aren't under enough pressure, the new governor has proposed a budget that includes no funding at all for three major programmes that benefit public libraries.

California Governor Jerry Brown released a proposed budget for FY11/12 on Monday that would eliminate all state funding for public libraries.

Brown's shock-and-awe, $84.6 billion general fund budget, which still must work its way through the state legislature, would cut state spending by $12.5 billion and include a "vast and historic" restructuring of government operations.

This would mean the loss of $30.4 million for three of the state's most important public library programs: the Public Library Fund ($12.9 million), Transaction Based Reimbursement ($12.9 million), and the California Library Literacy and English Acquisition Service ($4.6 million).

I know the money must come from somewhere, but cutting *all* the funding for public libraries? The Transaction Based Reimbursement funds the cooperative lending programme that's been in place for 30 years. The other two are a general public library fund and support for literacy programmes. Gone. Nada. Up in smoke.

And the thing that scares me is that whither California goes, other states are likely to follow. Public libraries are often seen as some sort of cash cow rather than the essential service provided to taxpayers. In an era where you go online to apply for McDonald's (and in a time when many people are seeking work), the library is important to those without Internet access. Libraries enlighten us, support our growth, provide us entertainment, and hone our skills. As one co-worker put it when I told her today, her significant other likens the lack of support for libraries as the first sign of civilisation's collapse. Okay, that's a little far, but not too far from the truth. Libraries are important. That anyone would just yank all state funding in a time when local governments are struggling to keep them open could mean a death knell for the library system in California. And the thing about closing libraries are that 1) the money doesn't usually come back once it's taken away and 2) should it come back, it is far more expensive to try to rebuild collections and services again. My heart goes out to California library workers and their patrons, who are going to see very hard times should this budget pass as is.