Budget Woes

Well, the verdict is in and public libraries get cut, not just by the 20.1% in State Aid, but in statewide programs like our online databases and reference.

Please lend a hand. If you have thought about giving to the local library of your choice or Franklin County Library System, make the decision "yes" today to assist us with a $175,000 slash in countywide library services. You can mail a check to Franklin County Library System or use the "Donate Now" link on our webpage to make credit card contributions.

We want to provide you with the service that you desire, but losing $175,000 per year is tough! We will be making adjustments in our staff, hours, and programs over the next few months to deal with the problem. Hopefully, those cuts will NOT often be apparent to you. When they are, please bear with us. These cuts are not by our choice. We would actually like to expend services to meet growing needs.

Also, beginning in January, two changes in overdue fines will be implemented: the daily rate will be increased to $0.20 per day per item and a surcharge on postal mailings of overdue notices of $0.50 per letter. We encourage each borrower to register his/her email address with their home library to avoid the snail mail charge. The cost of snail mailing overdue letters is huge!

State Budget for Libraries

Still no news on the PA public library subsidy! We did meet with local officials, donors, and advocates last Friday morning for breakfast at Grove Family Library. We were delighted with the turnout! Breakfast was sponsored by Panera Bread of Chambersburg.

Fifty people turned out to hear my state of the library message, tour the library or Book Buggy, and listen to Representative Kauffman read Our Library by Eve Bunting to a group of storytime preschoolers.

To advocate for your library, use the contact information on our main webpage. Thank you.

Upcoming Events -- Community Reading

If you are interested in local or American history, don't miss author Bob O'Connor's talk about John Brown on Thursday evening, October 1, 7:00, at Coyle Free Library. Bob is coming from West Virginia to talk, sell, and autograph his books.

He will be returning November 9, to discuss Abraham Lincoln at Grove Family Library.

Upcoming Events

Don't miss the following events with our partners:

A benefit showing of the movie "Freedom Writers" at the Capitol Theatre on the evening of September 8, which is Naitonal Literacy Day -- proceeds for Franklin County Literacy Council, admission $3.00

The Franklin County Community Services Expo at the Franklin Fire Company on Franklin Street, on Thursday, September 10 -- great door prizes!!

Budget Update

Sadly, there is not much new information about state funding to public libraries coming out of Harrisburg. Each day brings us closer to additional cutbacks. So far, the largest reduction in Franklin County library operations has been a 10% cutback in expenses for books, audiovisual materials, and magazines. We are also letting our subscription to HeritageQuest (online) expire at the end of the year.

We continue to stretch every dollar until the print gets blurry. Next year, depending on the level of the state cut in funding, we may have to reduce staff and hours.

Meanwhile, payments on our federal grants continue to be delayed. The word is, "no LSTA payments until the Pennsylvania budget is settled." We are not exactly sure what one issue has to do with the other. That delay in payments has halted the teen collection development project at Grove Family Library and the system-wide preschool storytime music and movement project.

On a brighter note, I would like to thank everyone who has given to the Annual Appeal this year. At the moment, we have received more donations this year than we had at the same time last year. Thank you for digging deeper. With libraries busier than ever, we are really in need.

Please take a moment to advocate for public library funding with your favorite state official today. Thank you!

Special Projects

The library system has been awarded grants from the national Institute for Museum and Library Services to develop Grove Family Library's teen collection and to introduce "In Motion @ Your Public Library" to all preschool storytime participants. The state government has decided to withhold our payments of federal grant money until the PA budget is resolved, delaying implementation of these two exciting projects.

Just to keep you up to speed, however, Lou Cowles and Grove staff have placed one order for new teen reads with their initial grant payment. So watch for the new items and visti their reorganized Teen Center.

We have appointed Lori Cooley the coordinator of the preschool "In Motion" project, ordered yoga mats from Dunhams at a nice discount, and prepared orders for program and collection materials to support the project. Hopefully, we will still be able to introduce the program this fall in most of Franklin County's libraries.

State Funding

I have been so busy creating tools to help library supporters advocate (see the main webpage) that I haven't spared time to talk to you on the blog. At Franklin County Library System, we need all hands on deck to convince state legislators that public libraries are MOST CRITICAL to the public during economic crisis.

While we do not expect to avoid cuts completely, we are asking on behalf of our customers that our cuts be equitable to other critical human services. There has been repeated talk from the Senate of cutting public libraries by 50%, like was done in 2003. That would have a crippling affect on your library services, reducing our overall budget by 20%.

Your voice counts! Please let it be heard in favor of strong funding for Pennsylvania public libraries.

One Book Author and Illustrator Visit McConnellsburg

Did you know that Florence and Wendell Minor, author and illustrator of If You Were a Penguin, visited McConnellsburg yesterday afternoon? Wendell shared his experiences growing up as an artist and illustrating books today.

Their visit was made possible through funding for the Pennsylvania "One Book, Every Young Child" program. Visit http://www.paonebook.org/ website today for more information about the program and activities connected with the featured book.

Chambersburg Spring House Tour

Get your tickets now, while supplies last. For just $20.00 you can tour 6 wonderful houses in the Chambersburg area. Last year, this event sold out at 600 participants. This year tickets are available until we hit that mark.

Our main sponsor is Wolf's Furniture. There is a wonderful raffle connected with the tour with many great prizes. You do not need to go on the tour to purchase your raffle tickets.

Franklin County Public Library Week

Next week, May 17-23, is Franklin County Public Library Week. County Commissioners took action Thursday to proclaim this a special week to celebrate our public libraries.

Fort Loudon is holding Cake Bingo on Wednesday, May 20, at 6:00 p.m. Play all games for a donation of $3.00. Last year this event had a fullhouse, Standing Room Only crowd.

Celebrate your support of libaries by advocating full and fair state funding for PA public libraries for state fiscal year 2009-2010.

The recent PA Senate budget proposal cuts public library subsidy by 50%, equaling about a potential loss in revenue to Franklin County's public libraries of more than $425,000 per year. This is about 1/5 of the libraries' operating budget! The last time we experienced such a state cut, the libraries lost staff members, hours of operation, and customers got many fewer new books and materials and experienced many delays in service. This would be terrible, when more people than ever are taking advantage of public library materials, services, and programs to improve their quality of life, their job skills, and educate their young children.

Take heart! You can make a difference. The budget is not final. Both Governor Rendell and the House of Representatives have a less radical approach to cutting library funding. But please contact your favorite PA politician today in support of fully funded public libraries. Contact information for our local legislators is available elsewhere on the http://www.fclspa.org/ website.

Thank you!

Early Learning Awards

Franklin County Library System earned two Pennsylvania Library Association Early Learning Awards in April. We celebrate this achievement, especially since it was our county's first time to receive the prestigious honor.

Amanda Flagle and Rose Trombetta accepted the award for their 2008 "One Book, Every Young Child" outreach programs with preschools in the area. Bernice Crouse and representatives of our Head Start partnership received the award for our joint program assisting librarians, teachers, caregivers, and parents with meeting the social and emotional needs of preschoolers. Components of this program include a website and blog for those interested in the topic -- blog at http://www.frwholechild.blogspot.com/ , website at http://www.freewebs.com/frwholechild . This has become one of our busiest blogs.

Our winners were photographed with Wendell and Florence Minor, illustrator and author of PA's 2009 One Book, Every Young Child selection, If You Were a Penguin.

Head Start representatives are Terri Monn, Jennifer Rodgers, and Kay Witmer, who designed the Whole Child project with Bernice Crouse at a summer 2008 Governor's Institute.

FCLS Spring Newsletter Available

Please check the library website or the desk at your local public library for the spring newsletter. It covers all the exciting things happening at libraries March through May.

Here's a few tidbits to tempt you...
Today is "Read Across America Day", Dr. Seuss's birthday!
We are participating in the ECECEP Children's Fair on March 28 at the Church of the Brethren
on South Fourth Street in Chambersburg
Kick-off of "One Book, Every Young Child" on April 1 in Harrisburg
Captain Coyle's Cook Off on April 17 at Coyle
Books 2 Eat Exhibit and Silent Auction at Grove Family Library on April 18
Friends of Grove Book and Bake Sale on May 8 & 9
Spring House Tour in and around Chambersburg on May 31
Great activities for youth and teens, including a video contest

Check out all the library events and information online on in a paper copy of the Lifelong Learning Almanac. If you would like to have it emailed or snail-mailed to you door, please contact dbigham@fclspa.org.

Libraries Busy During Recession

In 2008, the public libraries in Franklin County circulated almost 45,000 more items to patrons than they did in 2007. Wow! We have always heard that people flock to public libraries when times are tough, but now our own statistics prove it.

There have been some great local and national news items about how busy the libraries are today, CNN Headline News, local Channel 27, the Record Herald, and Herald Mail to name a few.

One thing is for sure, that the public library is a great place to learn new job skills, to discover great bargains, and to enrich and entertain your life. We are here to help you through thick and thin.

Come inside to find great programs for all ages and to find a wonderful book, magazine, CD, or video with which to curl up during the cold days yet to come. Keep visiting our webpages for a myriad of resources your can access from your home computer, and don't forget that with your library card number and a PIN, you can now renew and reserve materials from your own computer, as well.

America's Most Historic Videos

• If you are between the ages of 14 and 24, want to have some fun using a DVD camcorder, and have any interest in life in America, please contact me at bdcrouse@fclspa.org, subject American Album.




• If you are 50 or older and have a favorite story to tell from your childhood or young adult years, WE WANT YOU!

"An American Album" is a federally-funded project, under my leadership to share American stories in two ways:

1. 100 book discussion totebags containing 10 copies of a book about American life, a discussion guide, and either an audiorecording or videorecording of the book, or a magnifying glass to be used by groups in Franklin and Fulton Counties for book discussions




2. a collection of DVD recordings of personal "oral" history accounts from people right here in Franklin and Fulton Counties.

Later this spring we will be holding a contest for the young people who record and edit these videos, 1st place will receive $50!

What's Old and New With Library Funding?

The good news is that through your support, the foresight of our County Commissioners, and a lot of dedicated work by our library staff, you will not see any real cuts in library service until at least July. Pennsylvania did cut our January State Aid payment by 0.8% (about $6500), but that will not have significant ramifications, thanks to the 2008 0.2 mill increase in county libary tax.

However, it is the 2009-2010 Pennsylvania budget that most concerns us. With the economy continuing to slump, we may expect more cuts in state funding to public libraries by July. How much, we have no idea at this point. We are already receiving information about contacting our state and federal officials to let them know how important public libraries are to people in economic distress. A reporter from the Hagerstown Herald Mail is currently working on a feature article on that subject. Please stay tuned to our website for ways you can help your library survive the crunch.

Happy New Year!

Have you noticed our new Mango Language resource on the webpage? You can learn new language on your online with your library card. 85 users have already taken advantage of this great resource in less than 2 months.

For the geneology researchers we are also adding Heritage Quest to our website.

You will notice some improvements on the website courtesy of our webmistress-librarian.