President of the League of Women Voters...

On September 1st, I attended a Keep Our Libraries Open meeting and learned that our library system in Douglas County is not expected to be funded after June 2012.  It is part of the government cuts which are happening in so many places around our country.  And it is connected to the end of the Safety Net funding for our county from the Federal Government.

Many important public services will be affected, as 33% is to be slashed for the fiscal year 2011-2012 which began in July. Unless we are rescued by Congress, the Safety Net will be replaced by the original formula based on actual timber harvests, which are expected to be about $3.5 million. With property taxes added this will put our county general fund budget close to $11.5 million.  Compare that with current budget of $26 million

These changes are happening suddenly, so there is an effort to get voter approval for some kind of service district funding for the 11 libraries in our county.  The earliest this could be offered would be May 2012. This is also the time that there will be a request for additional lodging taxes, and for increases in taxes for Umpqua Community College with a new bond issue.  It is also a time when voters may not be in favor of additional taxes.  The economic slowdown has hit our area very hard.

Some of you may already be involved with this effort.  Many members of the League are working on the Library Awareness Campaign to spread the word about what is expected to happen by next year, and to gather support within our communities to save this essential part of Douglas County. Whether you use the library is not important.  Our library system is one of the finest in the state.  Each city maintains the facilities that are a library in Canyonville, Drain, Glendale, Myrtle Creek, Oakland, Reedsport, Riddle, Roseburg, Sutherlin, Winston, and Yoncalla.  The staffing costs are covered by the county.  The system serves a huge portion of the county’s population.  In these trying times, the free access to information and library services is even more important.  Hand in hand with a free press, libraries form the basis for our democracy, with individuals allowed to increase their learning, to think critically without interference.

The Library Awareness Campaign needs people to volunteer to distribute bumper stickers [created with grant funding] and book marks that describe the issues, or brochures. It is a campaign to  alert folks to the short time frame, and to gather support for different funding. Much like the successful effort to maintain the Extension Service in Douglas County, it will guarantee that our area becomes a magnet for successful businesses and a thriving economy.

Sally McKain, President, League of Women Voters of Umpqua Valley

"The public library stands as an enduring monument to the values of cooperation and sharing."
- David Morris
Institute for Local Self-Reliance