Keep pages turning

The funding will be delivered across four years via the Public Library Infrastructure Fund.

It amounts to $3m this financial year and $4m in each of the following three years.

However, with the State government election next March, NSW Public Libraries Association chairman Councillor Graham Smith, Cessnock City Council, remains concerned there is no recognition of the continuing impact on recurrent funding for public libraries.

“It was overlooked again and so just continues the significant burden carried by local government as the contribution from State coffers declines under pressure of continued population growth,” he said.

“The per-capita grant contributed by the State government has remained at $1.85 since 1990.

“As well as not increasing the dollar amount, we are gradually cannibalising the pool of money that’s available for recurrent funding for public libraries.”

At this point, Cr Smith estimated the pool would run out within the next 12 months.

As a result, he said many country libraries and some metropolitan libraries that received the disability and geographic allowance would lose money if the recurrent funding was not increased.

“At least to take account of population growth,” he said.

“But it would be lovely to have the per-capita amount increased as well because 24 years without any indexation is a bit of a worry.”

Cr Smith said in the past Minister for the Arts have said libraries were principally the operational domain and responsibility of local councils.

However Cr Smith pointed out the responsibilities councils have under the Library Act.

“Part of the reason why the subsidy is offered is so councils can comply with the Act,” he said.

In recent years, Cr Smith said many State government services had been devolved back to the public library network.

“People who don’t have online capability are sent to their library by many government departments to look up information on the department’s website on a public library computer.”

One example was people training for their driver knowledge test.

“Many libraries are also running literacy programs which are in support of government policies.”

Cr Smith said across the State there was huge library support for government initiatives and policies.

“But that’s not being recognised in the current funding model.”

The Libraries Council put a rigorous submission to Cabinet, he said, based on the Local Government Grants Commission formula.

“(The submission proposes to take) out many of the anomalies that have crept into the formula throughout the years because of council amalgamations and other changes.

“It is really giving every council in the State its fair share of the funding pie.”

He said under their proposal rural councils for the first time would have a sustainable funding floor.

“Some 74 of the smallest councils in NSW would get a substantial funding floor,” Cr Smith said.

“They would get a minimum amount, more than they currently receive.”

The total increase submitted for the first year would be only $3.5m.

“That’s one cent per resident per week,” he said.

“So it’s a tiny part of the State budget but it has enormous benefits, particularly to rural and regional areas.”

WITH metropolitan and country public libraries associations agreeing to merge and become the NSW Public Libraries Association, combined efforts to gain realistic recurrent funding from the State government, particularly in an election year, will be paramount.

NSW Public Libraries chairman Councillor Graham Smith said sustainability of the public library system and network was essential, and the per-capita grant of $1.85 per head for each of the past 24 years must be raised.

“We can’t continue to hear ministers for the arts telling us libraries are ‘principally’ the operational domain and responsibilities of councils,” he said after the State government budget announcement.

“Councils have responsibilities under the Library Act and that is the reason why the subsidy is offered so councils can comply with the Act.”

However, Cr Smith said many a government service had been devolved back to the public library network, which was not being fully recompensed for providing those extra services.

A petition supporting public libraries has attracted signatures from 36,000 NSW residents, which Cr Smith said showed communities wanted adequate funding.