Buffalo: County Libraries Plead For Additional $3.3 Million

From the Buffalo News:

After being turned down by County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz, leaders of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library took their plea for an additional $3.3 million to county legislators during a budget hearing Thursday.
There already is a $300,000 increase in library funding in the proposed county budget for 2013, and Library Director Mary Jean Jakubowski said $3.3 million more is needed to restore hours and programs that were trimmed during the last two years.
“While we sincerely appreciate the proposed $300,000 increase in funding, it does not come anywhere near to what the system has requested, nor does it allow us to fully restore open hours, services, materials or staffing levels to support such operations,” Jakubowski told lawmakers.
Poloncarz has proposed a budget that would give the system’s 37 libraries $22.2 million next year, an increase of $300,000. But that fell well short of a public campaign the library conducted to press for $3.6 million more from the county next year to restore library hours and other programs that were cut under then-County Executive Chris Collins.

Much More in the Complete Article
See Also: “Turn The Lights Back On” Info Page from Buffalo/Erie County Public Library
Info about the current funding situation.

Filed under: Funding, Libraries, News, Public Libraries