Michigan Libraries Strained by Budget Cuts

From The Center For Michigan/Bridge Magazine:

In the 2012-2013 state budget, funding for library services was reduced by 9.4 percent, a cut of $2.3 million.
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The repeal of the personal property tax could also have a major impact on smaller libraries in northern Michigan. The Anderson Economic Group and the Michigan Library Association reported that 20 northern Michigan libraries could lose an estimated $502,480. The average loss would be 10% of total revenue from real and personal taxes.
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And libraries that don’t shut down are often forced to cut back on staff or operating hours. Statewide, Michigan saw a nearly 26 percent decrease in accessible hours last year, nearly three times the national average, according to the 2011-2012 Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study by the American Library Association. Two-thirds of Michigan libraries offer the only free public computer or Internet access to their communities.

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Filed under: Funding, Libraries, News, Public Libraries