By Laura Gallup. October 3, 2008.
ITHACA--- The Tompkins County Public Library has not received all the money it requested, even after The Expanded Budget Committee of the Tompkins County Legislature voted in favor of adding $20,000 in funding for the library for 2009.
Sunday Hours
The library asked the county for $20,000 to go toward financing Sunday hours all year long, but that is only one-third of the total projected cost. According to the 2009 Tompkins County budget proposal, the library proposed tha
t the total cost be split three ways between the county, the Town of Ithaca and the City of Ithaca. In the past, the Tompkins County Public Library has only been open on Sundays because of special funding.
“Sunday hours are always so popular,” Jablonski said.
Library Collection Depends on Other Sources of Funding
Money was requested for more than just Sunday hours. According to the 2009 Tompkins County budget proposal, the library requested $145,708 to expand the library collection. The county administrator recommended only $50,000. The requested money would be used to purchase library materials such as books, magazines, recorded books, audio-visual materials, and to repair or replace damaged items. Reference librarian Larry Carey said that at times the library may need to purchase 30 copies of bestseller books such as the Harry Potter series.
“We don’t have enough books, plain and simple,” Jablonski said.
The library in Ithaca receives funding from two sources that are separate from the county. The Tompkins County Public Library Foundation and The Friends of The Library are organizations that contribute large amounts of money. Jablonski said that almost all of the money used to buy books comes from these two groups. She said the situation is not typical, and that usually cities and counties give their libraries enough money to buy books. As to why the county does not give more money to the library, Jablonski said, “They just don’t have it.”
In a press conference on Monday, Tompkins County Administrator Steve Whicher said that when the library was built in 2000, the actual costs were never addressed. Jablonski said that this is untrue. She said that private funds were originally intended to help with the start up of the library, but that the county funding would rise accordingly.
“They knew that all along,” Jablonski said.
Technology
The library also requested $69,700 to fund specific technology. The library’s budget request included 41 computers, four printers, three wireless access points, and one 3M check out workstation. The county administrator recommended $36,500 for the expenses. Jablonski said that the public computers are used every hour of every day, leading to wear and tear.
“Technology is the backbone of what we’re able to do here,” Jablonski said.
Positions
In the request to expand the library collection, the library also asked for money to fund three half-time clerical support positions and two half-time librarians. According to the 2009 Tompkins County budget proposal, a study on the library funded by Tompkins County in 2007 showed that more staff are needed to select, order, receive, catalog, circulate and re-shelve materials.
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