tomorrow's library coming?

Earlier this year I had the role of presenting to the Ministerial Advisory Council on Public Libraries as part of the Tomorrow's Library consultations. The MAC was set up as a response to the sudden news that the government was reducing funding for our libraries (which was later restored - see blog). The MAC undertook consultations across Victoria to learn what people wanted from their libraries, but the one proviso was that this part of the review was not about funding and it wasn't appropriate to mention it.

I started the presentation by setting the Yarra Ranges context. The dispersed nature of our population provides some unique challenges in providing library services across the municipality. I talked about the challenge of maintaining an adequate collection across 7 branch and 2 mobile libraries and the difficulty of funding this as current state government funding formulas do not recognise the additional pressures that are placed on interface councils like Yarra Ranges.

Current per capita funding for book stock in Yarra Ranges is $3.78 even though the baseline is $5.56 - of this 19.8% is from the state government, or .75cents per capita. It's pretty difficult to talk about library services without mentioning funding, it's such a critical part of the equation.

The state government is due to release the stage one report in November, let's hope there's proper recognition of the challenges we face so we can turn the discussion on how the state can adequately fund libraries into the future.

samantha in the press - libraries

Status quo on eastern library funds
Yarra Ranges Weekly
by Michelle McCullough
23 August 2011

Yarra Ranges teens rewrite the book
Leader Newspapers
by Alex Munro
23 August 2011

samantha in the press - libraries

Yarra Ranges fears devil in the detail in library funds
Leader Newspapers
by Alex Munro
22 Aug 2011

samantha in the press - libraries

Yarra Ranges fears devil in the detail in library funds
Leader Newspapers
by Alex Munro
22 August 2011

samantha in the press - libraries

Eastern libraries get a reprieve
Yarra Ranges Weekly
by Melissa Cunningham
9 Aug 2011

Books back in the black
Mail Newspapers
by Casey Neill
9 Aug 2011

Funding for libraries to be restored
Leader Newspapers
9 Aug 2011

library funding returned and review on the cards

Late last week the Minister for Local Government, Jeanette Powell, announced funding of $6.5million for Victorian libraries.

It was in response to the government's decision to withdraw funding from our libraries, which was unannounced in July (see blog). The government initially blamed the ALP for the shortfall, given the budget was handed down by the Liberal/National coalition, this is difficult to understand.

The Minister's latest announcement is a step in the right direction, it's good to see the government has taken action to return funding to libraries. It is also good to see the government has committed to a longer term review of libraries, their services and their funding.

The detailed information and funding agreements are still to come and we all know the devil is always in the detail but it seems so far:

The good news:
~ Funding was reinstated to last year's level to libraries across the state.
~ There will be a comprehensive review of library services and funding arrangements, this will be an opportunity to highlight the continuing unsustainable funding model for our libraries, state government only contributes 19% funding to our libraries and their contribution goes down every year regardless of whether it's a Labor or Liberal/National coalition government, this funding inequity needs urgent redress and hopefully the review will provide a mechanism to make this happen.

The bad news:
~ Yarra Ranges indexed library funding has not been reinstated for this year meaning our budget still has a shortfall, although the extent of the shortfall isn't known as yet. Only when we receive the details will we know what's really on the table and what we'll lose for this year (11/12).

samantha in the press - libraries

Library battle's one for the books
Yarra Ranges Weekly
by Melissa Cunningham
2 Aug 2011

samantha in the press - libraries

Libraries in a bind
Yarra Ranges Weekly
by Melissa Cunningham
26 July 2011

samantha in the press - libraries

Pledge to fight Libs' library cuts
Leader Newspapers
by Alex Munro
20 July 2011

samantha in the press - libraries

Books shelved
Mail Newspapers
by Russell Bennett
19 July 2011

samantha in the press - libraries

Anger at moves to cut library funding
Lilydale Leader
by Alex Munro
18 July 2011

library funding cuts

report from the roundtable - 12 Jul

I raised the issue of state government cuts to recurrent public library funding as an urgent motion for council to consider.

I thought it was important that council was aware of the issue and considered our position as soon as possible rather than waiting for the next council meeting on the 26th July.

My motion read:
That council:
1) Write to local MPs and the Minister for Local Government requesting:
a) An explanation of why library funding for the Earstern Regional Libraries, both recurrent and indexed, has been reduced for the upcoming year.
b) Immediate reinstatement of indexed funding for libraries.

2) Develop an advocacy plan to lobby local MPs and the Minister to reinstate library funding.

The timing of this funding cut couldn't be worse, Yarra Ranges Council has already signed off on its budget and we only found out about the funding cuts when the CEO of Eastern Regional Libraries Corporation (of which I'm Deputy Chairperson of the board) received the funding agreeement.

For Yarra Ranges and our residents it means a cut of $27,466 in recurrent operational funding for our libraries. There is a real irony given that 2012 is the national year of reading, not a particularly good start. The state government is willing to provide funding to build libraries, supports the Premier's Reading Challenge but has no problem reducing library funding without even consulting with local government.

This funding reduction puts an even greater burden on ratepayers, at a time when we see the state government continually diminishing the amount it invests in library services, now down to a measly 19.2%.

What services will need to be cut, which book stocks can no longer be purchased, this is the reality of operational funding cuts to our libraries.

I have to ask is this state government truly committed to life long learning, literacy and community wellbeing. We have to ensure that at every opportunity we raise the issue with our state government MPs until this funding is reinstated.

I'm pleased to say the motion was supported by councillors unanimously.