Chambersburg District Libraries

RELEASE DATE: January 21, 2004

CONTACT PERSON: Ricky Prado 717-709-0282 x212 bdcrouse@fclspa.org

SUBJECT: Cuts in State Funding to Libraries Result in Shorter Hours

Effective February 1, three Franklin County public libraries will reduce public service hours due to state funding losses in excess of $300,000 for 2004 alone. Coyle Free Library will close nightly at 8:00 p.m. and Ragged Edge Library in Chambersburg and Lilian S. Besore Memorial Library in Greencastle will be open 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays, and 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays. This is the second reduction in public library hours since the state funding cuts began to take effect in July 2003.

“It is a sad day for public library services in Pennsylvania,” comments Franklin County Library System Executive Director Bernice Crouse. “We resorted to staff cutbacks only after every other nonessential expense was eliminated. Every staff member has felt the impact of the state cuts in one way or another. They have lost hours, benefits, pay, or some combination of the same.”

Public library customers will experience more than the modest reduction in hours. Most budget items for new library materials have been cut dramatically, so there will be many less new books, audios, and videos on library shelves. Magazine budgets were generally halved. If computers cannot be repaired in-house, they will be taken out of service until funds are restored or they go out of date.

Library users will also have longer waits at the check out and reference desks. There will be less staff to cover the remaining hours of operation.

The bookmobile will be visiting Path Valley only every other week, instead of every week during the school year.

Library supporters can continue to help in the following ways: being patient with overworked and underpaid staff members, giving generously to the FCLS Annual Appeal and other fundraising efforts, writing their state legislators and the governor, and by volunteering their services in some way. The library system and local libraries will accept personal and business contributions at any time of year, not just when fund drives are in full swing. While the battle for restoration of funds from the state’s 2003-2004 budget is over, the 2004-2005 budget is in the planning stages. “Since public libraries are currently receiving only about 65% of the past level of state funding in the current state budget, there is a lot of room for improvement!” Crouse stated.

Meanwhile, Franklin County Library System is not giving up the vision for a better future. Details about a building program for a new “Ragged Edge Library” in response to public demand will be released very soon.

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