By Eileen Oldfield, Staff Writer
A proposed 74 percent reduction in state aid to libraries statewide could cause the Manville library to cut several popular services, such as Internet access and book loans from other libraries in the state.
”It would be very devastating for a small library,” Ed Smith, Manville’s library director, said. “We get a lot of our stuff from the state, like newspaper (database), EBSCO (and electronic research database). If you wanted to get a book from New Brunswick or from Atlantic City, we couldn’t get that for you.”
The proposed cuts would reduce the state’s funding for libraries from $14 million to $3.4 million a 74 percent reduction which opponents of the cuts say would cause libraries to drop services and staff.
In Manville, the funding cuts would mean dropping the Internet service at the library, no longer allowing interlibrary loans and cutting research software it has on the library computers, Mr. Smith said. The library is part of the Libraries of Middlesex Automation Consortium so certain services it has through that agreement would not be affected as badly.
”If you do each individual library’s (services) separately, it would cost millions and millions of dollars,” he said. “We do share services (between libraries), but the governor is trying to cut that.”
The Manville library typically receives about $9,000 in state funds, according to Mr. Smith. The rest of its budget comes from local property taxes about $385,000 this year, Borough Administrator Gary Garwacke said and state grants.
While Mr. Smith was unsure as to whether the cuts would force the library to cut staff or close, he said the library would be unable to pay the costs associated with the services without the state funds.
”I couldn’t make this up,” Mr. Smith said. “It would cost $8 million alone just to run the software. I don’t have that money. Where are we going to get that money?”
He added, “Each book, it’s about $1.25, $1.50 for the mailer, and it costs about $3.80 to mail a book out, which would be devastating to the library.”
In addition, a bill in the state Assembly, A2555, proposes changes to the funding method for libraries, which could cause additional budget complications for the Manville branch. Libraries are funded through local taxes at a rate fixed by state statute. The bill would, instead, allow municipalities to determine the amount needed to be raised by the levy to maintain libraries.
