New Jersey: “Princeton Public Library is Denied Extra Funding for Now”

From CentralJersey.com/The Princeton Packet

The $61 million municipal budget, introduced earlier this month, calls for providing the library with $3.85 million for operations and $150,000 to cover patron parking expenses. The total reflected the combined amount the library got last year from the borough and the township, Councilman Patrick Simon has said.
The sum is less, however, than the library had been looking for in 2013. As part of its annual request, the library asked for $4 million to cover operations, or a 4.6 percent increase from 2012. The increase is necessary, the library has said, to cover insurance-related costs and employee raises and to make up for less-than-expected outside funding.
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The council could opt to give the library a little extra before adopting the spending plan next month. Mayor Liz Lempert said Friday there are “often” adjustments to the budget between the time it is introduced and when it is adopted.
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In part, technology advances have cut into some of the traditional revenue streams libraries could count on in the past in terms of movie rentals and late fees. Ms. Burger said electronic books automatically check in after the borrowing period is up. Also, people can just as easily use Netflix to watch movies as they could by borrowing a DVD from the library.

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See Also (Some Good News): Princeton Public Library wins the ALA/Information Today, Inc. Library of the Future Award (April 9, 2013)
 

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