House Ways & Means Budget Was Released – Part 2 – Cuts To The Libraries
As we mentioned in Part One of our focus on the House Ways and Means Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16) Budget Proposal, along with the proposed cuts to the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), funding for our state libraries was also cut. (Link to the proposed House Ways and Means (HWM) 2016 budget proposal: https://malegislature.gov/Budget/FY2016/House)
This is the second step in our state’s budget process: https://malegislature.gov/Budget/Process. The first step of the budget process was the release of the Governor’s Budget. His budget proposal level funded both the MCC and the state library system.
Three amendments have been filed to reverse the proposed cuts to the Libraries. The office of Representative Kate Hogan provided the following breakdown:
“1) Representative Hogan will be filing an amendment to provide state aid to public libraries (budget line item 7000-9501). Libraries use state aid funds to meet the needs of local residents, including keeping libraries open, purchasing computers, and running homework centers and job-search workshops. As long as libraries are certified in the State Aid to Public Libraries Program, residents can use any public library and access resources from the entire state. An increase of $1,000,000 over HWM appropriations is being requested with this amendment.
2) Representative Hogan will be filing an amendment to restore funding for the Massachusetts Center for the Book (MCB) (budget line item 7000-9508), a public-private partnership charged with raising funds to develop, support, and promote programming for libraries throughout the Commonwealth. By restoring funding to the FY15 level, the MCB is able to sponsor programming that expands our circle of readers and that deepens our understanding of and appreciation for the past, present, and future of the book and of the book arts in Massachusetts; it emphasizes the central role libraries play in civic and cultural life.
3) Representative [Paul] Mark will be filing an amendment relative to technology and automated resource-sharing networks (budget line item 7000-9506). Libraries provide residents with access to current technology, such as Wi-Fi, digital resources, and Internet access, but the automated networks are “behind the scenes” making these and other services, including interlibrary loans, available and affordable to libraries. This line item also makes network membership possible for the smallest public libraries, those with populations under 10,000, through the Small Libraries in Network Program. An increase of $1,000,000 over HWM appropriations is being requested with this amendment.” (1)
Please contact your state representative and request that he or she sign on as a cosponsor to these three amendments, as well as the important amendment for the Massachusetts Cultural Council – by Representative Corey Atkins (budget line item 0640-0300).
To find out who your state rep. is, click here: http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.aspx
Your calls and emails matter!
(1) Special thanks to Representative Hogan’s staff for their help with this post.
Written by Kathleen Bitetti