Many Public Libraries in Georgia to See Reduction in Funding

From The Daily Tribune News (Cartersville, GA):

Beginning July 2014, the Bartow County Library System, along with two dozen other library systems across the state, will see a reduction in its local funding formula based on recommendations from the Georgia Public Library Service under its board of regents. For Bartow, this means a projected loss of $60,543 in funding in Fiscal Year 2015 and an overall loss of more than $600,000 in the next 10 years, says BCLS Director Carmen Sims.
“Over the years there have been discussions about the funding formula and it’s always been an ongoing debate,” Sims said. “… GPLS was told it’s their turn to create a zero-based budget, so in the course of doing that, they revisited the funding formula.”
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Under the new formula, the lone system to see a gain is the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System. It will see a gain of $70,097 in FY 2015 and about $700,970 over the next 10 years.
She said the GPLS’ budget is not being cut, and the amount to be distributed to the public library system is remaining exactly the same at $24,458,437. Since 2008, Sims said, the BCLS has taken cuts every year except for FY 2013.

Much More in the Complete Article
Hat Tip: Matt Weaver

Filed under: Funding, Libraries, News, Public Libraries