Tag Archives: state

Power Library powered down-let your legislators know what you think!

Power Library Logo

This year’s state budget included a 73% cut in the funds that pay for the Power Library, which provides many of our online services.  You may have noticed the change this month in the databases that are no longer available to you as a library patron.  This includes the loss of Ebscohost among other services.  Many of these resources were very valuable to students.  For individual libraries to purchase these resources themselves would cost as much as $40,000 per library at a time when library budgets have also been cut significantly in many cases (including here in Aston).

The Governor and the state legislators are now beginning the process for next year’s budget.  Let them know what you think about the “Library Access” money that funds these online resources by going here:

http://www.capwiz.com/ala/pa/home/

Thanks for your interest in this important issue!

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Painful Budget Cuts Begin January 1

Budget Cuts..
Due to the severe cut in state support for public libraries, we will unfortunately have to make some difficult cuts for our 2010 budget.

We expect to be working with a budget almost $27,000 lower than our 2009 budget. We have already lost $5200 in expected funds in 2009 due to the cut in state support and the lengthy state budget impasse.

The cuts so far:

  • Our budget for purchasing books and materials will be cut by 53%.  This will mean we will have far less new books next year, and other items like magazine and newspaper subscriptions will have to be cut as well.
  • The library’s hours will be changed to:
    Monday – Thursday 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
    Friday and Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
    Closed Sunday (a cut of 5 open hours per week)
  • Staff will receive no raises or cost of living adjustment and will see some of their hours cut back.
  • We may close for more holidays.
  • Other cuts will occur due to the Delaware County Library System struggling with the budget cut as well.  These may include the loss of Inter-Library Loan, Reciprocal Borrowing, and increases in fines and fees.
  • Stay tuned for more details.

We regret having to reduce the services we provide to the public, but this major decrease in our budget gives us no choice.  We encourage our patrons to contact their state legislators to let them know how they feel about the importance of public libraries and their funding.

Stephen Sarazin, Director
Aston Public Library

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Proposed Library Budget Cuts Would Devastate Libraries

September 14, 2009:  Proposed State Budget to Devastate Libraries: Funding will be cut by 38% and the POWER Library will be eliminated.

TAKE ACTION: Call your representative today

Click here to find out how this will impact Delaware County Libraries

Click here to find your legislator.

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State budget cuts would damage library services

Small Change

The Pennsylvania state legislatures are considering a budget cut that would cut library support by 50%.   This would result in deep cuts to the services we can provide.

Click here to find out more.

Please contact your legislators to let them know what you think about this!

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