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37 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, December 16, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 9, 2004 Libraries seek the means to stay open Anticipated county revenue losses could spell cutbacks or closures in some of Jackson County’s new, improved libraries By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Jackson County will have 15 new or improved libraries by 2007, but it might not have enough money to keep them open, said the library system’s director. "They’ve closed in other places," Ronnie Budge said. "It can certainly happen." But Budge and other library supporters are looking at possible long-term solutions to keep the system operating despite anticipated losses in revenues. Jackson County is joining with other library systems in Josephine and Douglas counties to hire a consultant to explore ways to deal with current and impending revenue crunches. The $88,000 contract would be funded through grant money. The counties are particularly concerned that by 2007 they will see a reduction in federal timber dollar subsidies, which could dry up or be cut back because of the nation’s growing budget deficit. Jackson County receives $22 million from these revenues per year. Advertisement Even if the timber dollars don’t dry up, Jackson County predicts its general fund could suffer an $8 million annual deficit in 2007 based on maintaining current service levels. Budge said she expects the library system, which needs about $7 million annually to operate at current levels, could get a severe revenue hit. "After the sheriff’s department, the library system gets the biggest portion of the general fund budget," she said. "One can understand that keeping people safe and secure may be at the top of the agenda." With all the new buildings, Budge said the library system needs to go beyond providing bare-bones services, particularly after severe cutbacks in hours last year. Currently none of the 15 public libraries in Jackson County is open enough hours to meet the Oregon Library Association standards for "adequate" service. Several of the branches, including the main library in Medford, don’t meet the minimal "threshold" of the association. Many of the libraries in Josephine and Douglas counties also don’t meet the threshold standard. Budge said that despite reduced hours, the number of patrons at the new or improved libraries has increased by 20 percent or more. She said the public’s biggest complaints are for more hours and bigger collections. The consulting firm will explore future funding options such as creating an alliance with all three counties, or possibly asking cities to help with the expense of operating libraries in their jurisdictions. The library system also could become a special district, entitling it to go before voters to ask for revenues that would be paid out of property taxes. Part of the study will determine other ways of delivering library services that might be more cost effective. At this point, Budge said she would prefer to wait until after the consulting agency meets before discussing the benefits of any option. Budge anticipates a feasibility study and recommendation could be ready by August 2005. "We need to come up with a way to sustain the library systems in the long term," she said. Scott Rayburn, chairman of the Jackson County Library Advisory Committee, said the county commissioners and the library system are in an awkward position. "The commissioners will have to make difficult decisions about where limited dollars need to be spent," he said. Still, he believes the library system will find a way through this revenue problem. "We do not want to be threatening about this — that we are going to close our doors," he said. He points to community support for the libraries, from the passage of a $38.9 million bond measure to fund-raising by communities such as Jacksonville, White City, Applegate and Rogue River to keep the libraries open more often. "There is empirical evidence that communities do care and want to keep their libraries open," he said. "That gives us a lot of confidence that if we put together an intelligent proposal, people will support us." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities