Report: “Missouri Library Leaders Say the State Plan to Defund Public Libraries Would Hurt Library Users”

From St. Louis Public Radio:

Defunding public libraries would have significant consequences for rural libraries, Missouri Library Association President Otter Bowman said.

“The percentage of aid that that state aid makes up in the overall budget is much greater for rural libraries because they don’t have such a strong tax base, they’re kind of on a shoestring as it is now,” said Bowman, who works at the Columbia Public Library. “Another aspect of it is that they receive matching funds from the federal government at this point. If there is no state aid to match, then they could lose that much as well.”

Library funding is split among the state’s library districts. Bowman said state funds make up about 1% of Daniel Boone Regional Library’s budget, which includes the Columbia Public Library. She said for rural libraries, losing state funding could mean more service cuts and closures.

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