Director’s Thoughts – 11/15/2023

Since I’m in the throes of budget season, I’ve thought about little else for the past few months other than our library’s budget. So for today’s director’s thoughts – 11/15/2023, let’s learn about public library funding. I live and work in Pennsylvania, so most of this information pertains to public libraries in PA, but can be translated to many other states as well. And I realize, that most people have no idea how libraries are funded, except to say that I’ve been told many times, “My taxes pay your salary!”

And in some cases, that is correct. But I always want to argue, “My taxes also pay my salary.” which is true in that I live in the same community that I work in. The library I currently work in is a department of the municipal government with a dedicated millage paid by property owners in our township to support the library. And I’m really lucky that the majority of my funding comes from a dedicated millage. There is a portion of my funding that comes from the state – about 4% which isn’t a lot and below the average for PA libraries, but it is essential money I need in order to pay my staff, purchase materials, and provide programs.

Local Funding

Let’s start with local funding, first. Depending on where you live your public library could be like mine in that you have a dedicated millage and are part of municipal government. Or your library may be part of your county government with branches spread across the county and financially supported at the county level. This is very common in some states and makes it a lot easier to explain to patrons how libraries are organized.

While I don’t know a lot about it, some libraries receive some funding from the school district taxes rather than property taxes from the municipal government. I haven’t worked in a library with this type of funding so I’m not as familiar with this format.

You may be surprised to find out that there are a large number of nonprofit libraries with a 501(c)(3) status. These libraries depend primarily on fundraising for support. They may receive some money from their local government, but this money is not guaranteed and is far less than what they would most likely receive with a millage. These libraries fight tooth and nail every year to keep their doors open as their funding streams can be fickle.

State Funding

As I mentioned, my library also receives some state funding. This money is allocated to public libraries through the IMLS or the Institute of Museum and Library Services an agency of the federal government and with matching funds from the state. Now, libraries don’t just get a check every year from the state and call it a day. For my library to receive state funding, I must meet specific standards set by the state.

This criteria includes materials, operating costs, staffing, and open hours. I’m also required to complete a lot of paperwork every year. I have to apply for my money every year. Then we have to fill out a form about how we’re going to use our funding. And complete an annual report with our statistics – circulation, programming, and more! We’re able to meet these requirements without much trouble, but small, rural libraries may find it difficult to reach these criteria which then puts more of their funding at risk.

Unfortunately, state funding is never a guarantee, it fluctuates, leaving libraries in a lurch when it’s drastically cut as it was between 2008-2010. And when funding gets cut, so do library hours and staff. And it usually happens at a time when patrons most need the help of libraries, specifically during economic depressions.

Other Revenue Streams

With so much of funding that’s not guaranteed for many libraries, directors must work tirelessly to look for new and innovative ways to keep the lights on. Many libraries depend on the money generated from fines to fund a portion of their budget. Again, this is not a guaranteed form of funding as incoming money from fines has been decreasing for years. Especially as eBooks become more popular and don’t bring in any fine money. Many libraries across the country are trying to remove fines from their framework as it discourages library use and accessibility. But it’s hard to remove a revenue stream if it’s keeping the doors open.

Some libraries have begun to provide additional services for the community in order to raise money including notary, test proctoring, and passport services. With far fewer places offering services like these, libraries have the unique opportunity to provide for their community while also helping their budget. Unfortunately, like most things I’ve discussed here, this is not a steady stream of revenue and will fluctuate year to year.

Grants are a great way to bring in revenue. But they can be a lot of work to write and administer as well. They are also fairly strict in how the money can be spent. So a library would need the staff time and expertise to be able to spend time on grant writing and administration.

And finally, many libraries depend on donations from their community members. Whether they host large fundraisers, have an annual appeal, or receive checks throughout the year, many libraries need these donations to balance their budget.

What It All Means

Public libraries are great stewards of funding making it stretch as far as it will go. You’ll get as much bang for your buck as possible. Librarians are extremely creative people always looking for ways to stretch that money a little further for the community. You can learn more about public library funding from EveryLibrary a political action committee helping libraries receive adequate funding.

It also means that libraries can always use the public’s help. Whether you have the means to give a small donation, send a letter in support of your library to your municipal government or elected officials, or help by volunteering if your library could use your help, every little bit helps and libraries will be grateful for it.

We also appreciate thank you notes or stories about what the library means to you. These anecdotes can be used when asking for additional funding and are very powerful tools for library directors. And finally, be an advocate for your public library. Learn about all the amazing things they offer and let your friends, family, and neighbors know! Word of mouth praise helps to bring in more patrons which helps to keep our statistics up and can increase our chances at additional funding.