Since Jurretta asked this question, and many Va-Histers will recall the
very serious ramifications for the Library from the budget cuts of
2001-2002, let me provide some information based on what we at the
Library know at this moment.
The Library is being asked to reduce its base budget, permanently, by
$1,244,481. We will be taking this reduction in the following areas:
We will be reducing state aid to local libraries (a line item of
$17, 998,571 in our base budget, which the Library administers but is
distributed directly to Virginia's public library systems) by $719,943.
We will be reducing the new funds placed in the Library's budget in
FY 2008 for Find It Virginia (a program offering electronic databases
and other resources statewide to Virginia citizens and public libraries)
by $75,000.
We will be reducing the Library's internal operating budget by
$449,538 by cutting our collection development budget for print and
electronic resources, reducing travel (particularly out of state),
deferring the purchase of supplies and equipment, and by reducing all
Library programmatic budgets across the board. We are also planning on
leaving positions vacant for substantially longer periods of time,
recouping necessary salary savings.
This is not great, obviously, but it could have been much worse.
The only problem is that the budget shortfall situation isn't over, so
we like all other state agencies will be watching what happens in the
next few months very carefully. Most agencies, the Library included,
have not recovered from the very serious reductions earlier this decade,
so additional cuts would have a profound impact on us all. Most likely
it would also affect non-state historical organizations that receive
state funding.
Hope that helps answer your question.
Best,
Sandy Treadway
____________________
Sandra Gioia Treadway
Librarian of Virginia
Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000
(804) 692-3535
PLEASE NOTE NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS: [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jurretta Heckscher
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 1:06 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [VA-HIST] Budget blues: what's the impact on LVA?
Bad news tonight about the commonwealth's budget: layoffs, cuts, and
more to come. See, for example, http://www.timesdispatch.com/cva/ric/
news/politics.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2007-10-01-0244.html.
Can anyone give us an indication of how these development might affect
the Library of Virginia?
--Jurretta Heckscher
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