Budget cuts threaten regional library systemDate: 5/13/2010 May 12, 2010.
By Katelyn Gendron
Reminder Assistant Editor
GREATER SPRINGFIELD -- The fate of the Western Massachusetts Regional Library System (WMRLS) and the livelihood of its personnel remains in flux.
Library directors and legislators throughout Western Massachusetts have joined the fight to save the six-site system, which Gov. Deval Patrick's proposed budget cuts would reduce to one, conceivably located in the eastern part of the state. The 29 percent cut to the Board of Library Commissioner's account would save $3.6 million.
State Rep. John Scibak filed an amendment to the line item "requiring the Board of Library Commissioners to operate at least two regional library systems serving Eastern and Western Massachusetts." The language was adopted within Consolidated Amendment E -- Education & Local Aid and High Education but the fight is far from over.
"This amendment was my number one priority," Scibak said. "I heard from librarians across Western Massachusetts that to eliminate or lose this would be a dramatic cut to local aid. People forget that the library aid and the regional library [system] is another form of local aid."
According to Massachusetts General Law, regional library systems receive a designated amount of state aid based upon the per capita of its served population per square mile served -- sparsely populated areas receive more funding per capita than areas with higher population densities. The Boston Public Library, the library of last recourse for reference and research for the Commonwealth, receives 50 cents for each of the state's residents.
"This [method as proposed was] a way to protect money for the Boston [Public] Library and challenge the unique needs of the libraries in Western Massachusetts."
WMRLS, located at a state-of-the-art five-year-old facility in Whately, provides services such as technical assistance, training, professional updates and office materials and book deliveries to 316 public, academic and school libraries across 2,800 square miles. Eighty-one of the state's 90 small public libraries are in the Western Massachusetts region and rely heavily on WMRLS.
"They are a great resource for the library community," Maria Pagan, director of the Holyoke Public Library, said of WMRLS. "We depend on the expertise of the staff there to help us in may areas -- to keep us up to date in developing strategic plans and develop personnel and customer service."
Christine Bergquist, director of Wilbraham Public Library said the impact of such downsizing would be damaging as her library relies on WMRLS for deliveries and cooperative purchasing of books and supplies.
She noted state and local budget cuts have already reduced her staff by 18 percent.
Antonia Golinski-Foisy, director of West Springfield Public Library echoed Bergquist's sentiments, adding that cuts are coming at a time when the economic downturn is causing an increase in circulation and patronage. She noted patronage has elevated 10 percent in the past year and circulation has risen 8 percent.
"This has just been one heck of a ride for everybody," Golinski-Foisy said of the budget cuts and the fight to amend them. "WMRLS was the first region to develop this service here because we had special needs back then and the rest of the regions followed suit.
"The service will not be the same especially if the hub [for the Regional Library System] is in the eastern part of the state," she continued. "It seems almost ridiculous to have only one hub in the eastern part of the state, especially for a person who has to drive 90 to 100 miles for services."
Scibak noted many of the small libraries with only one librarian would be forced to close down for the day to travel for training in greater Boston.
"If communities and libraries are going to have to pay mileage and for hotels to send people to Boston to get training, that training isn't going to happen," he added.
Jan Resnick, assistant regional administrator for WMRLS, said, "The biggest issue now is the uncertainty. It's May and we don't know how we'll have to wrap up and how soon. I've made my decision not to move on but the folks who will continue to go on its devastating. I'm trying to figure out if I should continue my job or back things up and move on?"
She added, "We never expected a year ago that the plans we had for the region would just go poof but that's just how hard the economy hits you. I've been here 38 years and I've never seen anything like this before."
Resnick explained she has chosen not to apply for one of the system's 20 remaining positions out of a pool of 45 current employees.
Scibak called for librarians and residents to continue their efforts to maintain WMRLS by placing pressure on the Senate, currently navigating through its budget process.
Calls to the Board of Library Commissioners were not returned by press time.
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