Severe Funding Cuts Threaten Library Services Throughout NJ

Fact Sheet About Library Funding

Many of our members have heard about the proposed cuts to NJSL and TBBC, and are asking questions about what it means and what they can do. Following are the facts about what is cut in the Fiscal Year 2011 draft budget.

1. The State’s Fiscal Year 2011 draft budget includes 74% funding cuts for the state's libraries ($10.4 million). This includes $4.3 million in Network Aid, $3.5 million in Per Capita State Aid, $1.4 million in NJ Knowledge Initiative Aid and $1.2 million in Virtual Aid.

   Members of the State Library and local libraries will lose the following services:
   

   • Interlibrary loan and delivery
   • Electronic resources on health care, business, education, etc.
   • E-mail, internet access and help desk services for most of the public libraries in New Jersey
   • Public library staff and materials paid for by Per Capita State Aid would be reduced an additional 50% for a total reduction of $5 million over the last three years.
     

2. By losing this state aid, New Jersey loses annually $4.5 million in federal aid, and the opportunity to qualify to receive stimulus funding in the amount of $7.5 million to assist the unemployed, the underemployed and small businesses.
3. By losing this state aid, the federal funds used to support the Talking Book and Braille Center for the blind and handicapped will be lost.
4. The funding for the State Library ($4.9 million) has been removed from the Fiscal Year 2011 budget. These funds are used for research, circulation and the Law Library where legislative histories are created
5. The New Jersey Library Association's webpage regarding this and other library issues is ilovenjlibraries.org and is where you can become a New Jersey Library Champion.