Cuts worm into library budgets

June 15, 2007

By Amie Pappas

Frontiersman

WASILLA - Smart entertainment has always been free at the Mat-Su Valley's local libraries no matter where you live, but that could change as the Mat-Su Borough eliminates support grants to city libraries that are part of the Matanuska-Susitna Library Network.

This year the cut for Wasilla amounted to more than $130,000 and about $59,000 for Palmer. Next year's reductions promise to be larger.

There was public outcry at this week's Wasilla City Council over the Wasilla City Library's proposed plan to make up for the cuts by charging a $20 library card fee for users who live outside city limits.

Palmer's council has already given the green light to a $50 fee for outside users, but the council will likely reconsider that fee in favor of a lower $20 charge to match that for Wasilla, said Pat Kilmain, director for Palmer Public Library.

&#8220We will need to make up for the money we've lost.” Wasilla Library Director KJ Martin-Albright said. &#8220We need it for programs, services, utilities and building maintenance.”

The reduction could mean a cutback in hours, staff and programs.

Eighty percent of the Wasilla library's users are non-residents, Martin-Albright said. To offset costs, the borough gave cities annual block grants from regional property taxes. The borough decided to cut that funding as part of a five-year phase-out plan that will kill the grant program and shift those costs back to municipal budgets.

Last year the Wasilla saw a $655,435 block grant. This year it's down 20 percent, to $525,260. Palmer also received a 20 percent drop in its grant.

&#8220There will be a huge shortfall of funds with the cuts.” said Jeannie Troshynski, president of Friends of Wasilla Library.

Although those who have enjoyed using libraries in Palmer and Wasilla free may complain about having to purchase a library card, the recent funding flap is nothing new, Kilmain said.

&#8220We've gone up and down [with the city's borough funding] for the past 20 years,” she said. &#8220It's been stable for the last four or five years. … People are not happy about [the fee]. they complain vaguely now, but when it actually happens i'm sure we'll hear all about it.”

One idea offered in Wasilla was for the borough to take over the operation of all libraries.

&#8220That won't work because if the borough doesn't have the money to provide the block grants, then they don't have funds to take over operations completely,” Troshynski said.

Borough Manager of Recreation and Library Services Linda Brenner said the borough assembly hopes to find a way to resolve the issue of funding local libraries within the five years of the grant phase-out. Originally, the assembly planned for a 40 percent cut over three years but was able to decrease and extend it to 20 percent over five years.

&#8220The cities and the borough have worked so well together that most people don't realize that there are three entities running the libraries. It has been so seamless,” Brenner said. &#8220It would be too bad if that was disrupted.”

Brenner said it was after state revenue sharing ended that the borough had to reevaluate.

&#8220The borough has had a lot of demands for funding. It's a huge process with many tough decisions.” Brenner said.

Palmer assembly member Michelle Church said that while 80 percent of her library users are from outside the city, they also pay city sales taxes when they shop. She believes it's unfair for the cities to charge a library fee when those users already pay for services.

&#8220We need to figure out a way that each government agency can look at what money they have access to so we can work together instead of against each other to make the borough and cities better,” Church said.

Diane Firmani, librarian at Tanaina Elementary School, spoke at the Wasilla council meeting. She is also a part-time employee and longtime volunteer for the Wasilla Public Library.

&#8220This is the library, not Blockbuster. You don't need to rent a book. You borrow it for free,” Firmani said.

In a brochure printed by the Mat-Su Library Network, 12th on a list of why libraries are an asset to the community reads, &#8220Public libraries are a place to go without leaving town and buying a ticket.”

&#8220Nobody is in favor of charging for library cards.” said Bruce Urban, recreational and cultural services manager for Wasilla. &#8220It's still yet to be determined. We don't know for sure if it will happen, but If it does it will start Jan. 1, 2008.”

Firmani said the fee would create a bookkeeping nightmare. She also said residents who live outside city limits pay non-area-wide taxes that support the borough libraries. She suggested council members be creative and find a way to recover the losses brought on by the reduction in borough funding.

&#8220The library card in your wallet should be the most important card in there. And it should be free for all of us library lovers in the borough,” Firmani said.

The library network exists in Talkeetna, Willow, Trapper Creek, Sutton, Big Lake, Palmer and Wasilla.

Contact Amie Pappas at 352-2284 or amie.pappas@frontiersman.com.