At the September 16 County Commissioners Meeting, a “Lancaster County Public Libraries Task Force” was appointed to assess the funding and administrative oversight in place for the county’s fourteen public libraries. Commissioner Craig Lehman described the group as an opportunity “to see if we can do things better.”
Commissioner Scott Martin added that, since library funding is a line item in the County budget, the Commissioners want to ensure that the libraries of Lancaster County are operating efficiently and effectively. Martin compared the appointment to efficiency studies for the County’s Human Services and Human Relations departments that were recently authorized by the Commissioners.
As officially stated, the Task Force will work
“with the overall goal to continue and improve library service in Lancaster County, [and] will focus on library funding and administrative oversight and will make short-term recommendations that may impact the 2010 County budget as well as long-term recommendations that may impact future County budgets.”
Members of the seven-member group represent the entire scope of library-related operations in Lancaster County, including larger individual libraries, groups of smaller borough and township libraries, and the Library System of Lancaster County. The appointment comes in the midst of Lehman’s tour of local library meetings, which began this spring.
Lehman told NewsLanc at the September 16 meeting that the appointment of this Task Force was not a direct result of his summer-long tour, in which one library yet remains. Rather, Lehman said, the plan was largely initiated by former County Commissioner Terry Kauffman, who will serve as the Chairman of the group.
In the September Lancaster County Democrats newsletter, however, Lehman hinted toward one issue that could well be discussed in the context of this Task Force: The possibility of a new library tax referendum. The following is a portion of Lehman’s written comments:
“During several of my visits, the library tax issue was discussed. Even though a referendum failed in 2005, library supporters understand, as do I, that it is unlikely that government officials will address the need for a dedicated revenue source that is sustainable over time. My response to this issue has been consistently straightforward. To achieve financial stability, libraries should consider working together to place another question on the ballot.
“I believe that a scaled-down version of the library tax could garner the necessary public support here in Lancaster County if placed on the ballot by libraries for libraries and considered when a positive outcome is most likely. But before that can happen, local libraries must form an iron -clad coalition that harnesses their strengths and answers the ‘who gets what’ question.”
Another potential topic for the Task Force is how funding is allocated between and among the Library System and member libraries. Currently, the Library System (which provides services including business information, collection development, information technology, community relations, bookmobile and Youth programs) receives the bulk of the County’s $2+ million aid to libraries, and some $300,000 in State aid.
The 14 local libraries share $1.8 million in State aid, which is allocated among them using a performance based formula which has been frozen for several years and does not reflect current realities. For example, the newly independent Manheim Township Public Library is not entitled to State funding since it did not exist as a separate entity at the time the formula was developed. County funding of local libraries is minimal, at $150,000 in total for 2009.
Another significant source of funds for member libraries is municipal aid. Each library must lobby its own supporting municipalities. This is another source of potential inequity, since some municipalities are more able or willing to provide support than others. Municipal contributions range from less than $1.75 per capita for the libraries serving Columbia, Eastern Lancaster County, Lancaster city, Manheim, Pequea and Quarryville, to over $5.00 per capita in Ephrata and Strasbourg (2006). The balance of local funding is raised by each individual library through annual campaigns, book sales and other activities which at times may have neighboring libraries competing with each other.
When Commissioner Lehman visited the Lancaster Public Library Board Meeting in March, one solution discussed among the Board was to reorganize the county’s libraries into a consolidated system with a single, evenly represented Board to direct the operations and funding for all member libraries.
At the March meeting, Lehman asserted that such a proposal would likely be ill received by smaller community libraries desiring to retain local control. Now, however, with every library facing a potential 55% cut in State funding, representatives on the Task Force may be more open to cost-cutting reforms such as this one.
The Lancaster Couny Public Libraries Task Force will include the following representatives:
- Terry L. Kauffman, Chairman; Former County Commissioner
- John McGrann, Representing City / Downtown Public Library
- James M. Martin, Representing Manheim Township / Manheim Township Library
- Lester O. Houck, Representing Lancaster 2nd Class Townships / 2nd Class Libraries
- Bonita Martin, Representing Lancaster County Boroughs / Borough Libraries
- Diane Rice, Representing the Library System of Lancaster County
- LaVerne D. (Bud) Rettew, Representing the Library System of Lancaster County
