Closing the Books

In July, the Charlotte (NC) library adopted a new budget that slashed nearly 30 percent of its funding and about 300 employees. In New York, libraries narrowly dodged an $82 million round of cuts thanks to public outcry earlier this year. The Milwaukee library system adopted austerity measures, only to find itself penalized for cutting too far. And the Free Library of Philadelphia only avoided a total shutdown through an act of the Pennsylvania State Senate...For desperate officials, it's a soft target, but librarians warn that cutting hours and positions might actually slow down the pace of recovery. The catch is that libraries are experiencing increased demand, too, in Charlotte and elsewhere.

A study by the Institute of Museum and Library Services released in June found a 20 percent increase in library use over the last decade. And because libraries are often the only source, or one of a very few, for free Internet access and job counseling, the trend is only increasing during the recession, the ALA says. Anecdotal evidence suggests greater numbers of job seekers using library computers to look for jobs, write résumés, and seek advice. There's also research that suggests that libraries contribute significantly to the prosperity of their communities, offering up to 800 percent return on investment for taxpayer dollars in job creation, productivity, and personal incomes.